Laura's nemesis Veronica Ganz (Amy and Laura, 1966) has a whole book to throw her size around in but she's stymied from the start by new-boy-in-the-class Peter Wedemeyer, who's also the shortest. And quite possibly the canniest. Not only does he insult her ("Veronica Ganz/ Doesn't wear pants" etc., etc.) and block her fist with a basket of fish leavings, but his continued success at evading revenge threatens her tyranny over the class. It also disturbs Veronica more than the non-appearance of the father she hasn't seen in eight years, and much more than her yelling mother, her acquisitive younger sister, her chronically hiccupping little step-brother. Actually she feels defensive, even protective about them, which is the first clue to her bullying; and the merit of the full disclosure that she's extra tall and insecure about being a girl is that it comes to the reader just as it comes to Veronica—as the sum of a succession of rueful incidents. The most salient is her realization that Peter continues to tease her because he likes her, that she can tease him because she likes him; on the joyful note of "What a crier/ Is Peter Wedemeyer" we leave Veronica en route to reconciliation without losing face or her own distinctive features. If this reverse image recalls Mary Stolz' Bully of Barkham Street, that's all right as far as it goes—except that Veronica is less pitiable and this is less a psychological examination, more a total immersion. With laughter from deep down.
Pub Date: April 5, 1968
ISBN: 0595483941
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: May 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1968
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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