Kept home after rheumatic fever (as was customary earlier in this century), Marty is reluctant to practice ``the one thing she couldn't do in school—``Letters were prickly, like porcupine quills. Letters had barbs all over, and they all looked alike.'' Instead, she makes friends with brother Derek's dog and with a wary, sick stray cat, though Derek taunts her: ``Mom hates cats.'' Still, he doesn't tell; and when Mom eventually meets ``Chancy,'' the cat is tame, sleek, and fat, and Mom wisely uses him for a tactile introduction to the letters: ```C as in courage. C is curved like Chancy Cat'....Then they petted an A that started at Chancy's nose and...a T that ran all the way down Chancy's tail.'' Borton's graceful narrative is a rare blend of energy and insight, nicely matched in Ray's tender drawings, enriched with watercolors in warm earth tones. Unusually appealing. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-399-21963-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1993
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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