The thrill of the hunt propels two children into an unusual (to say the least) wildlife encounter on an isolated West Country moor, in this brief tale from the author of War Dog (1997). Left to their own devices on a fishing trip, nature enthusiasts Pati and Simon set out to explore the surrounding countryside in which, if local reports are to be believed, a panther roams. Pati, mad for leopards and other big cats, yearns for a sighting, not suspecting how quickly her wish is about to be granted—and in spades. Booth gives his young characters generous helpings of common sense and conscientious respect for the natural world, too. They pack the right supplies for a long hike, take proper safety precautions, and when they find not just one panther but an entire family, they resolve to keep the discovery, and the exciting pictures Pati takes, secret, knowing full well what would happen if this proof ever got out. The author doesn't even try to explain where the cats came from or how they could remain hidden in England, of all places, but there's enough wonder and satisfaction in the episode to still such questions. Appealingly short and absorbing. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-82976-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2001
Less charming than the opener but does feature a thimbleful of moral quandary at its center.
Armed only with her magical sewing needle, foundling mouse Delphine sets out to confront the cruel rat king in this duology closer.
As vicious rat armies pillage the mouse realms in search of her and her pointy, long-hidden treasure, Delphine finds herself waging an inner war that parallels the outer one. According to dusty documents and other reputable sources, the needle’s good powers can be perverted, but she sees no other way except killing to stop evil rat King Midnight. While struggling with a grim determination to go over to the dark side that sets her at odds with her own fundamentally loving nature, Delphine threads her way along with loyal allies past various scrapes—only to come, climactically, face to face with not only her nemesis, but her own past. Moon stitches in flashbacks to fill out the details of a tragic old love triangle that reaches its fruition here and sews her tale up with a return to Château Desjardins just in time for Cinderella’s wedding and a celebratory rodentine ball in the chandelier overhead, and she leaves a fringe of epilogue hinting at further installments to come.
Less charming than the opener but does feature a thimbleful of moral quandary at its center. (secret codes) (Animal fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-04833-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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