This humorous tale about alien shenanigans should inspire serious giggles.
Math gets a superhero makeover in this debut picture book about oval- and triangle-shaped aliens in an epic battle over pizza.
Triangularus has one purpose: “He wants to steal your cheese pizza.” But the green alien, made of triangles, has an oval-shaped nemesis. Oval Man will protect the pizza of Earth children on the orders of his wife, Ovalah, president of the planet Ovaliscious. With the help of his loyal dog, Ovaltina, Oval Man travels to Earth to prevent school pizza day from being ruined. Using his power of invisibility, Triangularus tries to steal all the pizza until Ovaltina’s sharp nose uncovers his plot. Oval Man’s quick action takes them all back into space. There’s very little in the way of conflict here—Oval Man wins easily, although Triangularus is still up to no good at the tale’s conclusion. But the plot is secondary to the math and space silliness. For example, Triangularus’ ship is the Right Rocket; the equilateral button turns him invisible; and the queen of his triangle planet is Scalene. Davis’ geometric cartoon art, with its bright colors, adds to the fun comic-book feel, and end pages help young artists create their own oval characters. The goofy use of geometry terms, specific vocabulary, and the travel of both aliens through the Milky Way and the solar system make this an excellent choice for upper elementary geometry classes, where students could explore wacky shapes.
This humorous tale about alien shenanigans should inspire serious giggles.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-57-873783-6
Page Count: 33
Publisher: Bowker
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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