The Dillons illustrate the familiar verses of Ecclesiastes in the King James version, one spread for every double-edged phrase, e.g., “a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” They have taken inspiration for these gouache, acrylic, watercolor, and ink paintings the great art of the world; the opening image is based on the Book of Kells; among other styles used are Japanese ukiyo-e, Greek red-and-black pottery, kiva painting, medieval woodcuts, Russian icons, and Thai shadow plays. Every one is executed with meticulous precision and great feeling; all are annotated at the end. This is a gift book in the best sense, to be read often; if children don’t respond immediately to its overall formality, they will surely find pages to pore over herein. (Picture book. 9+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-590-47887-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Though just a context-void bagatelle for actual children, perhaps teen and adult steampunk enthusiasts will take a look.
Here’s another ABC book that takes an unusual theme and manipulates the device for a very sophisticated audience.
Picture-book-age children will not be familiar with the term “steampunk,” which is best known as a subgenre of fantasy and science fiction. The label typically features fantasy worlds powered by steam and clockwork and retro-futuristic inventions, often in a Victorian-style setting. Falkenstern takes that construct and adds two adorable mice, dressed in Victorian clothing, who use gadgets and found objects to invent machines, mostly using everyday tools. A is for Anvil; M is for Monkey wrench; P is for Periscope; Q is for Quartz; W is for Windsock; X Marks the spot; Z is for Zeppelin. Though there is no narrative as such, savvy readers will wonder what the various contrivances are leading to, if anything. The last page reveals the answer, as the mice float off on the zeppelin that they have contrived to build. The intricately detailed illustrations are quite fascinating and eye-catching, with the mice sporting French cuffs and bow ties, and one wears a red vest and derby hat. The disparity between format and content begs the eternal question, though: Who is the audience for this book?
Though just a context-void bagatelle for actual children, perhaps teen and adult steampunk enthusiasts will take a look. (Picture book. 12 & up)Pub Date: April 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4778-4722-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A spellbinding story about friendship and the power of prose.
Rosemary and her friends explore memory and relationships through Shakespeare's works in Zimmerman’s debut novel.
Books engulf Rosemary Bennett's life. She and her mother, Claudia, a professor of English and a Shakespeare aficionado, live in the old house of their village's poet, Constance Brooke. While her father’s books remind her of his absence, the rest of her bookshelf recalls fond memories with her best friend, Adam, and his sister, Shelby. Adam and Rosie work together on a school poetry project about Brooke, whose Alzheimer’s makes it hard to remember her faithful visitors. Shelby’s busy high school life is making it hard for her to remember Rosie and Adam too. But when Shelby falls victim to a magical hidden book in the cupboard, Adam and Rosie must fight to keep her and her memory alive. Zimmerman invites readers into a layered and magical mystery across generations of literature. She deftly weaves the difficulty of loss into a tale of triumph, Rosemary’s strength of character keeping her buoyed through the emotional tumult she must navigate to save her friend. The sober subject matter demonstrates Zimmerman’s understanding of what young readers face in real life, and the addictive flow of magic and suspense will keep pages turning until the very end.
A spellbinding story about friendship and the power of prose. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-544-44537-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
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