Child fractures a few fairy tales, and the wolves get it in the chops once again, in this story of a young boy and his bedtime worries. Herb's mom reads him "Little Red Riding Hood" every night. Herb loves it—that wolf gives him a chilling pleasure—but he wants his mom to take the book with her when she goes. One night she mistakenly leaves it behind and sure enough, two wolves materialize and propose to sup on Herb. Herb delays his demise by suggesting that little boys are really a dessert course and the wolves ought to start with appetizers. At that point, other fairy tales start becoming involved: "This was bad luck for Herb because the wicked fairy hated little boys only slightly less than she hated little girls. They made her nervous. She'd seen what those little brats Hansel and Gretel had done to that poor defenseless witch." The Little Wolf gets sent to the ball in Cinderella's dress—“Which of course left Cinderella having a night in, cleaning the kitchen after all"—and the other gets transformed into a caterpillar by the Fairy Godmother, saving Herb's bacon, and giving the story a rather abrupt conclusion. Not quite as devilish as a Scieszka/Smith production, but just a step shy and with the same sophisticated, crackpot patter that may likely zoom right over young listeners' heads while pleasing adult readers. Child's trademark ink-and-wash and collage artwork, filled with sly wit, scraggly wolves, and goofy humans plays with perspective and placement of text, adding just the right over-the-top lunacy. Don’t miss the Little Wolf in heels, hairy legs, and party dress being dipped by the prince on the dance floor. (Picture book. 4-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-20500-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2001
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Charming.
An assortment of unusual characters form friendships and help each other become their best selves.
Mr. and Mrs. Tupper, who live at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, are antiquarians. Their daughter, Jillian, loves and cares for a plant named Ivy, who has “three speckles on each leaf and three letters in her name.” Toasty, the grumpy goldfish, lives in an octagonal tank and wishes he were Jillian’s favorite; when Arthur the spider arrives inside an antique desk, he brings wisdom and insight. Ollie the violet plant, Louise the bee, and Sunny the canary each arrive with their own quirks and problems to solve. Each character has a distinct personality and perspective; sometimes they clash, but more often they learn to empathize, see each other’s points of view, and work to help one another. They also help the Tupper family with bills and a burglar. The Fan brothers’ soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur with tiny hats; Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. The Tuppers have paper-white skin and dark hair. The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways, this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo, and Ivy Lost and Found by Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin.
Charming. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 27, 2025
ISBN: 9781665942485
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
The spirit of Valentine’s Day shines bright in this caring community.
Gobble, gobble! Grab this farmyard story full of Valentine’s Day puns.
The animals on Farmer Jake’s farm are exchanging valentines. Delighted by a card from a secret admirer (“You are like no otter!”), Turkey decides to make clever valentines and surreptitiously deliver them to the other animals. Luckily, he has some punny inspiration for perfect Valentine’s Day messages. “You’re purr-fect.” “You’re dog-gone delightful.” “You’re toad-ally awesome!” As Turkey dons a different disguise for each delivery, the story offers a refrain that young listeners will soon chant. “His costume wasn’t bad. In fact, Turkey looked just like a cat…almost.” (The refrain changes slightly with each disguise.) Unfortunately, the other animals always recognize Turkey and greet him with a pun. But the animals also compliment his valentine and help to create a pun for his next one. Sadly, the animals always know who the valentines are from, so Turkey decides to “gobble, gobble, give up!” Returning home to read his own valentines, Turkey has an idea, and he quickly creates a festive and delicious surprise for the Valentine’s dance. Readers will have to decide if Turkey has finally managed to surprise the other animals. Boldfaced puns within the story are easy to spot, and Turkey’s cards also feature puns along with adorable illustrations. Detailed watercolor and pencil illustrations bring to life a farm filled with loving friends and highlight Turkey’s clever and ever changing costumes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
The spirit of Valentine’s Day shines bright in this caring community. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Dec. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-2366-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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