This candy-colored tribute to cats starts with a particular cat bemoaning, in verse, its lot compared to a dog’s life. Dogs go for those long walks, yip and yap, chase crooks, and get all the plum roles in Hollywood. Then the cat’s mistress intervenes: “Silly old cat,/If your wish did come true,/You’d have to do things/You wouldn’t want to do.” Chewing bones, being led around on a leash, fetching, and performing silly tricks are among the disadvantages mentioned; next, the advantages are enumerated, such as seeing in the dark, catching mice, climbing trees, pouncing, and “In sunny spots and soft places/Cats like to take naps,/And they’re just the right size/For cuddling in laps.” Readers will be firmly converted to the superiority of the cat’s life, and pleasingly distracted by the high-wattage collage artwork. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8037-2338-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The poster boy for relentless mischief-makers everywhere, first encountered in No, David! (1998), gives his weary mother a rest by going to school. Naturally, he’s tardy, and that’s but the first in a long string of offenses—“Sit down, David! Keep your hands to yourself! PAY ATTENTION!”—that culminates in an afterschool stint. Children will, of course, recognize every line of the text and every one of David’s moves, and although he doesn’t exhibit the larger- than-life quality that made him a tall-tale anti-hero in his first appearance, his round-headed, gap-toothed enthusiasm is still endearing. For all his disruptive behavior, he shows not a trace of malice, and it’ll be easy for readers to want to encourage his further exploits. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-48087-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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