A mild story with good characterization.
A dog and cat go astray and meet other animals in this children’s book.
Lexi is a well-mannered, intelligent, black-and-white cat who enjoys purring in her chair by a window. A flighty adventure is the last thing on her mind—but then her nap is interrupted by barking from Barney, a beagle who also has black-and-white fur, and who’s “not the brightest dog in Lawrenceville.” After joining her friend outside, Lexi agrees to scratch an itch that Barney can’t reach, but her claws get stuck in his collar. Just then, the dog catches sight of a gray squirrel and takes off up the alley, dragging poor Lexi with him. The beagle tears recklessly after the squirrel, even crossing a two-lane highway, but the squirrel eludes him, and by the time Barney is done with his chase, he and Lexi are hopelessly lost. As they wander, they meet Abby, a dog looking for her family’s cat, Chunk. Lexi and Barney leave her behind and make their way to an alley, where they enjoy some scraps and run into Chunk, to whom they pass along Abby’s message to return home. Later, Lexi is captured by a man in a red pickup truck who puts her in a cage, but Barney hops into the truck’s back and lets her out. They both escape, and after following familiar scents, they manage to make their way home. Fox (The Adventures of Marky, Slash & Levy, 2014) brings out the personalities of his animal characters well. Lexi speaks with formality and politesse, thinks ahead, and dislikes getting dirty; Barney is enthusiastic, down to earth, and rarely thinks beyond the present moment. There’s sweetness, too, as with the kind restaurant owner: “ ‘There you go darlings,’ said the man as he sat the plates in the alley. ‘Eat up.’ ” The animal catchers add a dramatic note of danger, along with the less dramatic but very real threat of getting run over by vehicles. (The Humane Society of the United States, it should be noted, recommends keeping cats indoors and giving dogs escape-proof shelter.) Otherwise, though, the friends’ adventure isn’t especially memorable, consisting mostly of wandering and a few chance encounters with other animals, which are pleasant but uneventful.
A mild story with good characterization.Pub Date: Dec. 21, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-5056-7026-4
Page Count: 52
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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