Readers know what kind of place they are in when the endpapers include ads for giant-squid repellent and shrimp-of-the-month club and the author and illustrator snark at each other in the dedication. Billy Twitters’s room looks much as one might expect: unmade bed, piles of dirty and clean clothes, video games, books, backpack and stuffed toys everywhere. Billy’s mom tells him plainly that he’s to clean up his room and finish his dinner or “we’re buying you a blue whale.” He doesn’t, and they do. While Rex never reveals the faces of the adults, he does provide nicely detailed diagrams of the size and habits of the blue whale (from FedUp, “Delivering Punishment Worldwide”). Billy has to take his whale everywhere, even though the whale kind of wrecks the classroom and moves Alexis to un-invite Billy and the whale to her pool party. However, the prospect of feeding his whale inspires Billy to a damp and fishy but very boylike solution to the problem of both room-cleaning and whale-sitting. Definitely funny and slyly subversive. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: June 23, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7868-4958-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, a little boy asks his mother for a dog, but the answer is no. On Thursday, when he asks for a pet dragon, she says if he can find one, he can keep it for a pet. After searching from beach to zoo, he finds a dragon in the drugstore sporting dark glasses and a hat. But the dragon doesn’t put toys away, or help with chores, and makes a mess in the kitchen. When they roast hot dogs in the living room and dance all night to loud music, Mom insists the dragon leave, but he refuses and keeps eating spaghetti in the bathtub. The boy claims it’s too bad they don’t have a dog because dragons are afraid of them; Mom concedes and they put a “Dog Wanted” sign in the window: dilemma solved. Insouciant retro-looking illustrations add sly touches of humor, like the tow-headed boy and dragon giving each other thumbs up. Kids will grin at the clever, imaginative ruse that outsmarts a mom as only kids can. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-525-47129-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2004
A wombat, American readers will learn, is an adorable round creature that looks something like a small, pointy-eared bear and likes to sleep. It also has enormous claws, a prodigious appetite, and an unshakable determination to get what it wants. This imperturbable specimen keeps a diary that keenly describes her daily excitements: “Monday. Morning: Slept. Afternoon: Slept. Evening: Ate grass. Scratched. Night: Ate grass. Slept.” When new neighbors move in and prove to be an excellent source of carrots, the diary’s list expands to reveal the lengths this wombat will go (“Chewed hole in door”) to ensure a steady stream of the treat. Whatley’s acrylic vignettes, arranged sequentially across the spreads, are set against a generous white background and provide the perfect counterpoint to French’s deadpan narration. The tortured outline of a garbage can says it all when paired with, “Banged on large metal object till carrots appeared.” The level of irony involved requires sophisticated readers, but they will laugh out loud at the wombat’s antics—and breathe sighs of relief that she’s not their neighbor. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2003
ISBN: 0-618-38136-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2003
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
