by Lance Olsen and Thomas Perry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 3, 2015
An undersea adventure that both wins and loses.
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Olsen and Perry (Sharky Marky and the Big Race, 2015) introduce the alphabet in the second installment of the Sharky Marky picture-book series.
This scavenger hunt begins with a red-yellow-green light launch that sends Sharky Marky and friends off to search the ocean for an alphabetical list of objects. Some of the objects are typically found under the sea, like barnacles and clams, which help educate young reader as to the secrets of the ocean. Other objects on the quest are typical landlubber items, like dice and tennis racquets. The narrative provides great examples of sharing by having many of the participants share their booty so that everyone can experience success. There’s one cheater, though, Octo Eddie, who neither shares nor plays fair. At the end, although Eddie has accumulated the most items, he isn’t allowed to win since he cheated, a valuable lesson that cheating to win rarely has a happy ending. Along the way, Marky also stops to help untangle Diego Dolphin from kite strings, a positive statement that Marky values friendship more than he wants to be first across the finish line. Illustrations are simple and basic, without any clutter, though some of the images are too simplistic, like the algae, which looks like a green color swatch instead of a plant. Some of the illustrations are charming, however, such as ones involving Bartholomew Beaver and his adorable buckteeth and undersea diving helmet. The story is told in rhyme, but much of the verse sounds awkward when read aloud. In addition, some of the rhymes feel random, as if they were used simply because they rhyme, not because they contribute to the story: for instance, the lobsters play tennis next to a car, so Marky can “snag a racket [sic] that sat in a jar.” The final section, in which readers can go over each participant’s list and see what they found, is a nice conclusion, particularly with the educational glossary that describes each item.
An undersea adventure that both wins and loses.Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9895712-2-7
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Olsen Images
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Sandra Equihua ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Gabriella Barouch ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2019
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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