An amusing, original fairy tale that counters greed with gross-out giggles.
Magical rewards become a stinky surprise in this fable about gold and happiness.
King Jasper the Magnificent, who wears a wig and mustache that would impress a Baroque monarch, is immensely proud of his rococo crown, crafted by jeweler Thomas Joy. When the crown is destroyed, the king blames Thomas (who was also, strangely, tasked with guarding it). Banished from both the castle and employment, along with his wife and their two children, Thomas lives on the streets, begging for food. A fairy grants the family a rabbit who, when content, poops gold—but, she warns, “make him sad and the magic will go.” The gold poop brings Thomas riches and fame. He once again becomes a jeweler of renown, fashioning “poopopo” jewelry. But when the family fails to keep the rabbit happy, a smelly comeuppance ensues for the Joys and all the wealthy, jewelry-wearing bigwigs. In this picture book, Rey’s (Angelo’s Christmas Present, 2018) potty humor is sure to appeal, and while the Joys and the king are white, bright cartoon illustrations feature the kingdom’s diverse population. Some children may feel concerned when the Joys are on the street given the way the author drains the color from those images. But the accessible, plain moral—take good care of pets, especially if they poop gold—is clear.
An amusing, original fairy tale that counters greed with gross-out giggles.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-0-9947673-9-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: The Red Sunflower Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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