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FISH

Name: FISH
Author: Liam Francis Walsh
ISBN: 978-1-62672-333-7

by Liam Francis Walsh ; illustrated by Liam Francis Walsh ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2016

A full-bodied story with an economy of style, this will be particularly rewarding for emerging readers.

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This picture-book debut from a New Yorker cartoonist presents a child and a dog and their escapades while fishing.

The narrative is mostly wordless, although the alphabet does take center stage. A controlled palette of aquamarine, black, and white heightens both contrast and surprise when the child reels in a red “F,” even as readers and the dog see a huge, menacing “C” emerging from the depths. After pulling in the “I” and “S,” the child’s dragged down into a vortex of scarlet “H”s. The mission’s finally accomplished, but a squall of “B”s and the sharklike tips of “A”s force the child to relinquish the entire haul. The clean pen-and-watercolor panels and spreads are by turn humorous and dramatic. Children will enjoy following the dog’s storyline as much as the child’s; in fact, it is the canine’s quiet efforts that ultimately lead to a red-letter day. The conclusion (foreshadowed before the title page) reveals a larger story. Although the pair was trolling for the letters in “fish,” it was apparently done to help nearby race organizers correct their incomplete “finish”-line sign—and conclude the competition. The child has short, textured black hair and is hoisted at the end of the story by a pair of runners depicted ambiguously enough to allow readers to see a biracial set of parents, possibly same-sex.

A full-bodied story with an economy of style, this will be particularly rewarding for emerging readers. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: May 31, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-62672-333-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
MAKE A WISH, HENRY BEAR
by Liam Francis Walsh ; illustrated by Liam Francis Walsh

- PROFILES
Liam Francis Walsh

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

by Sybil Rosen ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

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A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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HOW TO CATCH A REINDEER

by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 4, 2022

These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.

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The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.

Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)