Disguised but recognizable elements from several fairy tales give this romantic episode a faintly arch undertone. An arrogant but extremely handsome prince is transformed into a floppy-skinned bloodhound after making the mistake of annoying an old woman who happens to be a fairy. Soon he finds himself reduced to eating garbage and sleeping under a bush, until Eliza, a beautiful, kind-hearted goat girl with “eyes that are like a chimera’s”—whatever that means—takes him in, dubbing him “Prince,” and teaching him a bit of discipline. He falls in love, and is able to show his devotion at last by saving her from a rampaging chimera of the lion-headed sort. As he lies dying in her lap, she kisses him, thus breaking the spell and paving the way for a quick marriage and a life together—not in the palace, but in the hills with the goats. The pale, formal illustrations play it straight, depicting elegantly posed figures in elaborately embroidered Renaissance costume (except for the prince in his four-legged incarnation, of course). Though the telling is often stiff and somewhat forced, this is a pretty tale, equally suitable for fans of conventional romance or fairy tale pastiches. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-316-57417-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Superb haiku about animals and the weather, preceded with an instructive note about the form—where it comes from, how it's defined, how to write it, how to read it. Harris (July Is a Mad Mosquito, 1994, not reviewed, etc.) makes his haiku a kind of lyrical punchline that holds readers by virtue of its melodic wistfulness as well as by virtue of its cleverness: ``Blue patches of noon—/the crows caw-cawling/on the telephone wire.'' The woodcuts are completely of a piece with the poems. Manson creates spare nature scenes—birds in the fields, clouds in the sky, images that tend toward the abstract—to be pondered along with the words. A beautiful collection to be savored by readers even as it inspires them. (Picture book/poetry. 7-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-689-31899-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995
Leedy (Celebrate the 50 States!, 1999, etc.) has a gift for presenting concepts wrapped in stories both easily assimilated and engaging. Here, Lisa and her Boston terrier, Penny, last seen in Measuring Penny (1998), tackle maps and mapping. Mr. Jayson, Lisa’s teacher, shows what’s important to include in a map, with illustrations of the map key, symbols, labels, the compass rose, and the scale—each carefully explained. Lisa decides to map her bedroom, complete with all the essential parts. Then she makes a treasure map for all the things Penny has buried in the back yard. She draws a directional map to show how Penny’s doggy friend Maxine takes a short cut to get to Penny’s house, and Lisa uses an odometer and pedometer to map the bike and hiking trails in the park. Not to neglect Penny, she builds a three-dimensional map to show all of Penny’s favorite places to fetch or to bark at squirrels. Lisa dreams of traveling with Penny to faraway places, too. Leedy’s blocky forms and poster paint colors (created with digital painting and photo collage) are a fine foil for the clear text, which teaches without patronizing. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-8050-6178-9
Page Count: -
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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