Bauer and Hearn (Turtle Dreams, 1997) pair up for their second easy reader about a group of forest friends, this time with the addition of an overbearing frog that wants to claim Turtle as his best friend while excluding the other animals. Turtle tries her best to remain friends with everyone, artfully avoiding Frog’s exclusionary tactics. When a bear cub arrives on the scene, all of Turtle’s friends play a part in rescuing her, and she wisely concludes, “A turtle can’t have too many best friends.” Bauer skillfully works quite a bit of characterization and humor into her plot, which offers some spot-on comments about friendship applicable to the intended first- and second-grade audience. The text, written at the 2.4 grade level, is set in a large typeface with generous white space, and the story is logically divided into short chapters with a variety of illustration sizes and placements just right for this level. Hearn’s appealing animal characters add considerable charm to the whole, with a bossy frog, earnest turtle, inquisitive bear cub, and furious mother bear arriving on her hind legs to claim her baby. Though Frog and Turtle don’t rise to the stellar level of the Frog and Toad series, more of their group’s adventures would be welcome additions to the easy reader shelves. (Easy reader. 6-8)
Pub Date: March 15, 2002
ISBN: 0-8234-1501-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2002
A message delivered many times…but still true blue–ish.
The first day of school might not go too well, nor the second—but the third time’s the sparkly charm in actor Tatum’s picture-book debut.
Working a particularly effervescent variation on the well-trod “just be yourself” lesson, Barnes depicts young Ella (“You can call me Sparkella”) and their single dad positively exploding with stars and twinkles bursting from flamboyant garb and dancing along to school. But if Sparkella turns out to be a bit much for their new class, Day 2’s plainly dressed Ella just leaves the protagonist bored and lonely. There’s nothing for it but to share a little dance party that night with Dad (who had a hard day himself) and recite the pledge that the duo use to combat nervousness: “Close my eyes and know that everything I could need is already there inside of me.” The next day, Sparkella’s not the only child fizzing away in class and by lunchtime is trading half of an almond butter, jam, blueberry, and whipped cream sandwich for some of new friend Tam’s bánh mì. Sometimes, as the scintillant young narrator puts it, “all you can do is be more you-ish.” Sparkella and Dad are light-skinned, Tam is brown-skinned, and the class is racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A message delivered many times…but still true blue–ish. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-75075-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
PERSPECTIVES
Just right.
What does it mean to be content with what we have?
In a world where we are constantly urged to seek out the newer, better, best, debut children’s author Whipple makes a solid case for the concept of Enough. A fascination with bears has taken hold over a diverse neighborhood, with children throughout the book donning trendy bear-themed apparel. Amid the fad, the brown-haired, light-skinned protagonist explores the idea of Enough while learning to find fulfillment in their own bear sweater, purchased from a thrift store rather than the “Fancy Clothes” shop or “Better Market.” How many stories before bedtime are Enough? How many sandwiches? Bubbles? Friends? Sometimes, Enough means that we can share lunch with someone in need, give someone else a turn, or give someone money. There is happiness to be found, because after all, “when you find Enough, it’s easy to share.” The soft textures of Wong’s illustrations add a gentleness and warmth to Whipple’s lyrical text with a balanced palette of neutral and vibrant colors that seem to echo the sentiment of the title. Although young readers may miss some of the subtler details of the visual narrative, it's overall a good introduction to a valuable yet abstract idea that is bound to spark discussion as kids consider what Enough means to them. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Just right. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 18, 2023
ISBN: 9780884489320
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
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