bookshelf

THE BIGGEST PUDDLE IN THE WORLD

Name: THE BIGGEST PUDDLE IN THE WORLD
Author: Mark Lee
ISBN: 978-1-55498-979-9

by Mark Lee ; illustrated by Nathalie Dion ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2019

Familial love, nature appreciation, and a bit of natural science.

bookshelf

When a child asks about the source of all the rain that has been pouring down for days, grandfather Big T. says he will reveal that answer after the storm, adding: “But first we’ll have to find the biggest puddle in the world.”

The text is gentle and sweet; the visiting grandchildren (the narrator and a little brother), despite being cooped up inside, show no animosity and only the slightest impatience. When the storm has passed, the same stylized, muted illustrations that revealed grandparents and grandchildren enjoying their lives inside an old, comfortable home give way to the children exploring outside with Big T. and his shaggy dog, Keeper. The quest for the biggest puddle in the world includes wooded areas and meadows, post-rainstorm phenomena such as mushrooms and newly opened wildflowers—and, of course, puddle-jumping. The science of the evaporation cycle is so oversimplified that it is unlikely to register, but the idea that small bodies of water empty into ever larger bodies is clear—and leads to a joyous splashing scene. The return of the voyagers to the big old house and Granny B.’s homemade dessert is just the icing on the cake (or rather, the ice cream on the pie) for the quietly satisfying art and text. All characters present as white.

Familial love, nature appreciation, and a bit of natural science. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-55498-979-9

Page Count: 36

Publisher: Groundwood

Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
20 BIG TRUCKS IN THE MIDDLE OF CHRISTMAS
by Mark Lee ; illustrated by Kurt Cyrus

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT KIND OF CAR DOES A T. REX DRIVE?
by Mark Lee ; illustrated by Brian Biggs

- BOOK REVIEW
MY BEST FRIEND IS A GOLDFISH
by Mark Lee ; illustrated by Chris Jevons

bookshelf

THE SECRET SOCIETY OF AUNTS & UNCLES

by Jake Gyllenhaal & Greta Caruso ; illustrated by Dan Santat ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

Warm but underdone.

bookshelf

In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.

Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9781250776990

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

bookshelf

PIRATES DON'T TAKE BATHS

by John Segal and illustrated by John Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011

bookshelf

Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)