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UP THE MOUNTAIN PATH

Name: UP THE MOUNTAIN PATH
Author: Marianne Dubuc
ISBN: 978-1-61689-723-9

by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 2, 2018

A quiet, lovely story for the intergenerational shelf.

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In this Canadian import translated from French, after many hikes together, an aging badger is no longer able to make it up the mountain; and so her cat mentee, Lulu, becomes the mentor, helping another up the hill in this cyclical story of intergenerational relationships.

Mrs. Badger is an avid hiker, making the trek to Sugarloaf Peak every Sunday, always ready with a kind word or gesture. It’s with this attitude of generosity that she befriends Lulu, a young cat who wishes to reach the mountaintop. Together they hike, and over many weeks, Lulu’s confidence and knowledge grow under the gentle guidance of Mrs. Badger. Eventually, it’s Lulu who’s helping Mrs. Badger along the way, until one day the rosy-cheeked mustelid can no longer make the sojourn. With the passage of time, the mountain slowly becomes Lulu’s alone, until one day she encounters a rabbit in much the same way Mrs. Badger met her. The two begin the hike together, continuing the same journey of friendship. Simple natural settings and character designs done in an earthy, primary palette are appealing. The artist uses simple washes with colored pencils to accent small details and patterning, and the compositions flow well, echoing the story of Lulu’s journey with both intimate scenes and vast environments. Dubuc adheres to the story’s pattern both in text and art, which makes for a pleasant and predictable journey.

A quiet, lovely story for the intergenerational shelf. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-61689-723-9

Page Count: 72

Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press

Review Posted Online: July 23, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
EVERYONE GETS A TURN
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

- BOOK REVIEW
ON BABA'S BACK
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

- BOOK REVIEW
1, 2, 3, OFF TO SCHOOL!
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc ; translated by Yvette Ghione

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)