A delightfully absurd tale with an affectionate understanding of the truth about cats and dogs.
In this children’s book, a feline teaches the family’s new puppy how to act like a cat.
Milo, a yellow and white tabby, has ruled his household for three years now, and he likes it that way. The feline is not pleased when his human servants bring home Flea, a chocolate Lab puppy. “This will not do,” he concludes. He gets the puppy in trouble, criticizes him for failing to catch birds, and then suggests a self-improvement plan: “We could turn you into a cat.” The puppy does his best to follow instructions that go against his nature. Worried about these behavior changes, the family decides to cheer Flea up by taking him to a dog park, where he has a great time. A new friend explains: “My boy, you’ve been bamboozled by a cat.” Flea embraces his canine traits and gets a great notion—he could teach Milo how to have real fun, like a dog. The feline is not exactly open to this idea, so an ungrudging Flea asks for more cat lessons. On a bird-catching mission, Milo falls into a pond and Flea rescues him. Milo still feels superior but thanks Flea and becomes reconciled to a friendship. In her book, Bensley offers a very amusing scenario that contrasts feline hauteur with canine eagerness to please. Occasionally, off notes intrude, as when poor Flea is hit by one of his human caretakers for misbehavior (not a recommended training method) and allowed to roam the neighborhood. Overall, though, the tale demonstrates much appreciation for animals and helps kids understand the difficulties of integrating a new pet into a household. Harder provides monochrome pencil illustrations that perfectly capture the story’s humor and dynamic energy while conveying animal personalities.
A delightfully absurd tale with an affectionate understanding of the truth about cats and dogs.Pub Date: March 22, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73342-281-9
Page Count: 51
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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