by Leslie Tryon & illustrated by Leslie Tryon ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 1992
The second book from this talented author-illustrator is as delightfully fresh and innovative as Albert's Alphabet (1991). The trusty goose, it seems, is not just a carpenter; he's also the genius behind the school play, The Owl and the Pussycat. From the moment the little animals group for auditions (the pig hopes for, and gets, the role of pussy-cat, while the piggy-wig is played by a hedgehog), Tryon skillfully orchestrates the necessary preparations (construction of masks and sets goes busily forward during rehearsals on stage) and childlike dramas (Pussy-cat gets the jitters right before curtain time) in cleverly phrased verse that mimics the form of Lear's poem, and in her splendid illustrations, crammed with entrancing details. Subtle gestures reveal character; a checklist epitomizes Albert's serene efficiency; the goose and a little owl are glimpsed hanging stars from the catwalk, far above the stage (safe for them: they have wings). Then, a broad double spread showing the closed curtain gives a dramatic sense of expectation; a priceless view of a comically classic school-play audience of animal relatives, including excited younger siblings; and the play itself, the illustrative style subtly modulated to suggest the theatrical illusion. In soft color-pencil art, the animals are as winsome and full of character as Hoban's Frances, the bustle orderly and satisfyingly productive. Any school would be fortunate to have the unflappable Albert—and every child should have a chance to meet him. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: March 31, 1992
ISBN: 0-689-31525-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1992
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by Pete Seeger & Paul Dubois Jacobs & illustrated by Michael Hays ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2001
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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adapted by Pete Seeger & illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal ; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2015
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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