A whimsically told, timely message of inclusivity with appeal to “every bunny.”
When bunny mittens mysteriously vanish in Rabbittown, a newcomer investigates.
A pleasant place where “every bunny knew every bunny, and every bunny was friends,” Rabbittown proves less than welcoming to Mr. Beagle when he arrives and opens a corner shop. Unsure of this new dog in town, bunnies avoid Mr. Beagle’s store, leaving him bored. Then bunny mittens disappear; “soon every bunny had lost a mitt or two.” Using his “good nose for sniffing out trouble,” helpful Mr. Beagle explores Rabbittown, encountering the same scent everywhere a mitten is missing. Following the scent, Mr. Beagle notices “something fishy” about one particular bunny, leading to a surprising resolution that raises town awareness. The deceptively simple text engages in clever wordplay, including repeated use of the phrase “every bunny,” suggesting Rabbittown may be a great place for bunnies but not for others. Amusing, tiny signs scattered throughout Rabbittown cheekily reinforce the pervasive bunny theme (“Lapin Dancing,” “Sadie Hopkins Dance,” “Hip Hop Class,” “Hare Salon”). Neatly rendered in precise, thin, black outlines, the illustrations reduce buildings, animals, and objects to one-dimensional, colorful, simple patterns. Teeny rabbits, distinguished only by their size, fur color, and apparel, populate the streets and shops of Rabbittown, inviting readers to join Mr. Beagle’s thorough exploration of “every bunny” for clues to solving this charming conundrum.
A whimsically told, timely message of inclusivity with appeal to “every bunny.” (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-927917-31-2
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2020
What a wag.
What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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