A crowd-pleasing celebration of reading; nevertheless, it doesn't hold a candle to such more-polished presentations as Judy...
Curious animals continually disrupt a young African girl’s attempts to read.
But who would try to read while sitting in a crocodile’s mouth or lying on a rhino’s back? And what if a dung beetle wants to join you? This series of silly situations is sure to appeal to those who enjoy the absurd. Sprayed by an elephant and squeezed by a snake, the girl never gets all the way through her book—the very same one that is in readers' hands. The patterned text and repetition of the title line make this both an engaging read-aloud and a good choice for an early reader. Eldridge’s double-page illustrations appear to have been computer generated using a variety of styles—line drawings, collage and watercolor texture—and savannah colors. Though rough, they are realistic enough to allow for animal identification. Unfortunately the “African ibis” is depicted with the body and straight beak of a stork. First published in 2011 by the author and illustrator as a fundraiser for their Books for Kids Africa project in Mozambique, this title was the picture-book winner for the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ children’s book competition.
A crowd-pleasing celebration of reading; nevertheless, it doesn't hold a candle to such more-polished presentations as Judy Sierra and Marc Brown's Wild about Books (2004). (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-934133-51-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Mackinac Island Press
Review Posted Online: May 29, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2012
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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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