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VENOM

Name: VENOM
Author: Marilyn Singer
ISBN: 978-1-58196-043-3

by Marilyn Singer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2007

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This substantial introduction to toxic creatures of all kinds, both poisonous (to eat) and venomous (injecting their poison), is chock full of fascinating facts. Organizing the text by habitat, Singer moves from home and garden through desert, woods and jungle, to the sea shores, coral reefs and ocean depths. She discusses some species in several different chapters: Snakes appear in the grass, the desert, the pond, the jungle and the sea. The organization occasionally breaks down. In “Home is where the venom is,” the reader learns that black lemurs in Madagascar use millipede poison to repel insects. The busy design is clearly aimed at middle graders who may not recognize the bits of song and poetry behind the catchy chapter titles, but will appreciate the light tone. Sidebars provide extra information and puzzles for the reader. Despite repeated assurances that such animals are of more value than threat to humans, the overall effect is pretty scary. A two page webliography lists an intriguing variety of mostly academic and governmental sites for further exploration of this always interesting subject. (acknowledgments, bibliography, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2007

ISBN: 978-1-58196-043-3

Page Count: 96

Publisher: Darby Creek

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2007

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
AWE-SOME DAYS
by Marilyn Singer ; illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte

- BOOK REVIEW
DOG SAYS, CAT SAYS
by Marilyn Singer ; illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

- BOOK REVIEW
A RAVEN NAMED GRIP
by Marilyn Singer ; illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

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BIG BROWN BEAR

by David McPhail & illustrated by David McPhail ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1999

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Big Brown Bear, with a natty bowler hat, is all set to paint the house in this cheerful Level 1 reader. Every page presents a full-color scene and a few words of easily predicted, often rhyming text: “Bear is big. Bear is brown. Bear goes up. He comes down.” Big Bear climbs a ladder with a pail of blue paint, while nearby, Little Bear plays with a ball and bat—“Oh no! Little Bear! Do not do that!” These are simple words, but sometimes challenging ones, e.g., there are two uses of up, as in climbing the ladder and washing up. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations provide nearly ideal context, while also amplifying the story. The format is attractive and practical, featuring large type on a white background that is placed for easy reading. Beginning readers will be amused by the gentle humor in the book, and feel accomplished to have tackled it themselves. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: March 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-15-201999-5

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
I FEEL SAFE
by David McPhail ; illustrated by David McPhail

- BOOK REVIEW
I HAD TEN HATS
by David McPhail ; illustrated by David McPhail

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LOST LITTLE BIRD
by David McPhail ; illustrated by David McPhail

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A HOME FOR GODDESSES AND DOGS

by Leslie Connor ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 25, 2020

An almost-orphan and a rescue dog share lots of heart in a winsome coming-of-age story.

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After her mother succumbs to heart disease, 13-year-old Lydia goes to live with her mother’s older sister, Aunt Brat, and her wife, Eileen, in their small Connecticut town.

Almost immediately the loving couple adopts a large rescue dog that becomes mostly Lydia’s responsibility. The unfortunate animal isn’t even housebroken, and Lydia’s most decidedly not a dog person, so caring for Guffer is challenging. So is trying to be cordial—but not too friendly—with her 12 eighth grade classmates. Previously home-schooled, Lydia’s not quite ready for the friend thing. Secrets, like who could have been responsible for maiming two baby goats or why Brat is secretly caring for them at a neighbor’s farm, complicate life. Background plotlines (an angry neighbor who hates Guffer, Lydia’s absent father, and the cause of Guffer’s anxieties) all gradually evolve. Similarly, Lydia slowly learns to cope with her grief, sometimes aided by spending time with “the goddesses”—artistic collages of strong women that she and her mother crafted. Gentle, fully fleshed characters (most seemingly white) are lovingly drawn in this long tale of healing, but the pacing is sometimes frustratingly slow. Although she’s clearly intelligent, Lydia’s first-person narrative often seems more like the voice of an adult than a young teen. In spite of these minor flaws, her poignant tale is engaging and uplifting.

An almost-orphan and a rescue dog share lots of heart in a winsome coming-of-age story. (Fiction.10-13)