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YUM! YUCK!

Name: YUM! YUCK!
Author: Linda Sue Park
ISBN: 1-57091-659-4

A FOLDOUT BOOK OF PEOPLE SOUNDS

by Linda Sue Park & Julia Durango & illustrated by Sue Ramá ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2005

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Park follows Mung-Mung: A Foldout Book of Animal Sounds (2004) with an equally international array of human exclamations—in about two dozen tongues, and uttered by a multicultural cast of children depicted on foldout leaves. Placed in a busy marketplace in Ramá’s vigorously drawn, digitally finished watercolors, the children go from simple pleasure to a chorus of dismay—“Oh-gah!” (Yoruba) “Ay!” (Spanish) “Oy!” (Polish) “Oo-wah!” (Japanese) “Yikes!” (English)—when an accident with a spice cart covers all their snacks in pepper. Then they go back to joy—“Voy!” (Farsi) “Vov-vov!” (Swedish) “Po-po!” (Greek) “Hui!” (German) “Wow!” (English)—when furnished with replacements. English equivalents all come last, and are hidden beneath the folds, which gives young audiences a chance to try out the less familiar sounds while guessing what emotion is being expressed. The authors head off potential cavils by noting at the end that variants, both of expression and of pronunciation, exist within each language. An entertaining companion for its predecessor, or other like-themed titles, such as Hank De Zutter’s Who Says a Dog Goes Bow-Wow? (1992). (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: July 1, 2005

ISBN: 1-57091-659-4

Page Count: 36

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2005

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
THE ONE THING YOU'D SAVE
by Linda Sue Park ; illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

- BOOK REVIEW
GURPLE AND PREEN
by Linda Sue Park ; illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

- BOOK REVIEW
PRAIRIE LOTUS
by Linda Sue Park

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TSUNAMI!

by Kimiko Kajikawa & illustrated by Ed Young ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2009

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Through quick thinking and personal sacrifice, a wise old Japanese farmer saves the people of his village from a devastating tsunami in this simple yet striking story based on Lafcadio Hearn’s “A Living God.” Ojiisan lives in a cottage on a mountain overlooking the village and sea. One day, villagers gather to celebrate the rice harvest, but Ojiisan stays home thinking “something does not feel right.” When the earth quakes and the sea darkens and runs away from the land, Ojiisan realizes a tsunami approaches. Fearing the oblivious villagers will be swept away, Ojiisan torches his rice fields to attract attention, and they respond, barely escaping the monster wave. Rendered in gouache, pastel and collage, Young’s illustrations cleverly combine natural textures, bold colors and abstract shapes to convey compelling images of chaos and disaster as the rice fields burn and the wave rushes in. In one literally breathtaking double-page spread, an enormous wall of water engulfs the teeny seacoast village. A visually powerful and dramatic tribute to one man’s willingness to sacrifice everything for others. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-399-25006-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2008

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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THE GRUFFALO

by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Axel Scheffler ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1999

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The action of this rhymed and humorous tale centers upon a mouse who "took a stroll/through the deep dark wood./A fox saw the mouse/and the mouse looked good." The mouse escapes being eaten by telling the fox that he is on his way to meet his friend the gruffalo (a monster of his imagination), whose favorite food is roasted fox. The fox beats a hasty retreat. Similar escapes are in store for an owl and a snake; both hightail it when they learn the particulars: tusks, claws, terrible jaws, eyes orange, tongue black, purple prickles on its back. When the gruffalo suddenly materializes out of the mouse's head and into the forest, the mouse has to think quick, declaring himself inedible as the "scariest creature in the deep dark wood," and inviting the gruffalo to follow him to witness the effect he has on the other creatures. When the gruffalo hears that the mouse's favorite food is gruffalo crumble, he runs away. It's a fairly innocuous tale, with twists that aren't sharp enough and treachery that has no punch. Scheffler's funny scenes prevent the suspense from culminating; all his creatures, predator and prey, are downright lovable. (Picture book. 3-6)