Reassuring and with some nice characterizations but coolly distancing overall.
Two siblings temporarily unite their separated parents.
Set in La Grave, a close-knit community on Quebec’s Iles de la Madeleine, this story follows Flo and Fée (who narrates), whose parents live apart. After painting pebbles one day, the siblings strew their little stones as they visit adult friends, hoping the trail will lead their parents to them. At their final stop, the parents, having followed the path, do indeed join the children. Flo and Fée have already learned that separation doesn’t mean irrevocable loss, for a wise friend has explained, “You two will always link your mother and father.” Then, another, colorful surprise awaits. This quiet French Canadian import about connections handles parental breakups calmly and with a detached air; Flo and Fée seem to take their folks’ split well. Two islands connected by a sand bridge are a metaphor for permanency; in the end, the siblings recognize they’re the “bridge” forever linking their parent “islands.” Appealing paint-and-collage illustrations include photo cutouts, torn paper, and lace. Photos of the blond, light-skinned sisters personalize them; other characters are light-skinned as well. The predominance of blues supports the maritime location; making effective use of perspective, several scenes heighten the idea of separation. Muted colors connote seriousness, though emotions run the gamut. Specific references to places make this a lovely ode to La Grave, but—without a pronunciation guide or context—the French names may confound readers unfamiliar with the setting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Reassuring and with some nice characterizations but coolly distancing overall. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77306-824-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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