by Margaret Hamilton ; illustrated by Anna Pignataro ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 1, 2016
A gentle counting book that adds some higher numbers to children’s repertoires.
A pink-cheeked, white tyke with a bob haircut counts through the day, from rising to bedtime.
Clothing, toys, and activities are androgynous, so readers of either gender can identify with the child. The rhyming verses emphasize the quotidian markers of a youngster’s day: one teddy bear, an older sibling’s two feet leading the child to breakfast, five broody hens, nine butterflies. In a departure from most counting books, this one counts to 12, skips to 20, then to “hundreds of books piled up on the floor,” thousands of raindrops, millions of stars, and back to one moon, one kiss, and bedtime. White backgrounds keep the focus on the counting and on the collage artwork, which combines a scribbly style with watercolors and found textures, the child’s starry cape and mother’s and grandmother’s cabled sweaters especially standing out. The items are easy to identify, though they are not uniform, especially the chickens and the butterflies, and prominent numerals begin each page. A pet dog and cat appear on every spread, and at the end, the older sibling and mother tuck the child in. All the people are white.
A gentle counting book that adds some higher numbers to children’s repertoires. (Concept book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61067-558-1
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
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by Margaret Hamilton ; illustrated by Anna Pignataro
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by Adam Rubin & illustrated by Daniel Salmieri ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2012
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
Awards & Accolades
Likes
12
New York Times Bestseller
IndieBound Bestseller
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
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More In The Series
by Adam Rubin ; illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
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by Adam Rubin ; illustrated by Liniers
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad
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