What if you only imagined good what ifs?
A “Porky Panicker” what ifs his party plans to death.
Pig is a kind, fun, and generous friend; all his friends think so, and they all feel pretty lucky to have Pig for a companion. One day, Pig is struck by the brilliant idea to throw a party, but then he comes down with an attack of the what ifs. Suddenly the pleasantly smiling porker’s mouth turns down, becomes an O of horror, arranges itself in a rigid, toothy, fake grin as he imagines each scenario: A lion eats the invitations (or the guests!), no one comes, or they come but no one has fun. Worst, “What if…no one really likes me at all?” A relieved smile ghosts over Pig’s face when he imagines cancelling the party. Though friend Mouse supports Pig in this decision, Mouse is behind the scenes working to return all the friendship Pig has showered on his friends, reassuring a sad Pig that “Things don’t stay gray for very long.” Indeed, Pig’s loyal friends prove that while sharing their own worries and fears with one another, thereby lessening their impacts. “What if I have the kindest, most generous and fun friends a pig could meet?” Pig happily concludes. Hunter’s simple, brightly colored illustrations keep the focus on the animal characters, each one drawn with just a few characteristic traits to enable species identification. Readers will certainly empathize with Pig and his emotions. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.9% of actual size.)
What if you only imagined good what ifs? (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-298609-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
As insubstantial as hot air.
A diverse cast of children first makes a fleet of hot air balloons and then takes to the sky in them.
Lifestyle maven Gaines uses this activity as a platform to celebrate diversity in learning and working styles. Some people like to work together; others prefer a solo process. Some take pains to plan extensively; others know exactly what they want and jump right in. Some apply science; others demonstrate artistic prowess. But “see how beautiful it can be when / our differences share the same sky?” Double-page spreads leading up to this moment of liftoff are laid out such that rhyming abcb quatrains typically contain one or two opposing concepts: “Some of us are teachers / and share what we know. / But all of us are learners. / Together is how we grow!” In the accompanying illustration, a bespectacled, Asian-presenting child at a blackboard lectures the other children on “balloon safety.” Gaines’ text has the ring of sincerity, but the sentiment is hardly an original one, and her verse frequently sacrifices scansion for rhyme. Sometimes it abandons both: “We may not look / or work or think the same, / but we all have an / important part to play.” Swaney’s delicate, pastel-hued illustrations do little to expand on the text, but they are pretty. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.2-by-18.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 70.7% of actual size.)
As insubstantial as hot air. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4003-1423-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Noted storyteller Bruchac (Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving, p. 1498, etc.) teams up with his son, James (Native American Games and Stories, not reviewed) to present a pourquoi tale from the East Coast Native American tradition. Bear is undeniably big; he is also a braggart, given to walking through the forest and proclaiming his superiority to all within earshot: “I can do anything! Yes, I can!” When he hears this, little Brown Squirrel challenges Bear to tell the sun not to rise the next day. This Bear does, and when the sun does in fact rise despite his injunction not to, Brown Squirrel unwisely gloats: “Bear is foolish, the sun came up. Bear is silly, the sun came up.” Thanks to trickery, Brown Squirrel escapes with his life, but not before Bear claws the stripes into his back that cause him to change his name to Chipmunk. The Bruchacs translate the orality of the tale to written text beautifully, including dialogue that invites audience participation. Aruego and Dewey’s (Mouse in Love, p. 886, etc.) signature cartoon-like illustrations extend the humor of the text perfectly. One spread shows the faces of all the animals rejoicing in the yellow light of the newly risen sun—all except Bear, whose glower contrasts ominously with Brown Squirrel’s glee. Clever use of perspective emphasizes the difference in size between boastful Bear and his pint-sized trickster opponent. Authors’ notes precede the story, explaining the history of the tale and each teller’s relationship to it. A winner. (Picture book/folktale. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8037-2404-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2000
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