A bright, brisk repackaging that piles on the visual appeal.
Two kids climb a ladder to prehistoric adventure in a graphic bid to bring the classic series to an even younger audience.
A half-idle wish that stolid 8 1/2-year-old Jack makes while he and his impulsive little sister, Annie, are sitting in a mysterious, book-filled treehouse whirls the two off to the Cretaceous Period for encounters with dinosaurs both amiable and, in the case of a toothy Tyrannosaurus rex, not so much. The illustrators (twin sisters) make much use of inset and irregularly shaped panels to keep the action trotting along. They craft brightly lit, full-color scenes (more simply drawn than Sal Murdocca’s black-and-white illustrations in the 1992 original) in which Jack’s large eyeglasses and Annie’s big, wide, blue eyes (both kids present White) offer instant keys to their characters, and the dinos wading through grassy, flower-strewn prehistoric landscapes are more beneficent-looking than scary (even that T. rex). Laird incorporates necessary explication into the dialogue, simplifying some vocabulary—Jack’s “I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real,” in the chapter book becomes “I wish we could go there,” as he points to a picture of the flying reptile—but generally sticking to Osborne’s tone and phrasing. In the end the two time travelers get back home in time for dinner…Jack with a certain golden medallion he picked up as a lead-in to the next three episodes.
A bright, brisk repackaging that piles on the visual appeal. (Graphic fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-17468-5
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely
Two friends embark upon a high-seas adventure.
Kondo, a large lemon-colored creature with wide round eyes, spends his day on his island home with his best friend, tangerine-hued Kezumi. Together, they frolic on their idyllic isle picking berries (tall Kondo nabs the higher fruit while Kezumi helps to retrieve the lower) while surrounded by tiny “flitter-birds” and round “fluffle-bunnies.” One day, Kezumi finds a map in a bottle that declares “WE ARE NOT ALONE.” Inspired by visions of a larger world, Kondo and Kezumi fashion a boat from a bathtub and set sail. The pair visits fantastical islands—deliciously cheese-laden Dairy Isle, the fiery and fearsome Fireskull Island—until they eventually settle upon the titular Giant Island, where they meet Albert, a gigantic gray talking mountain who is—obviously—unable to leave. Enthralled by his new friends, Albert wants them to stay forever. After Albert makes a fraught decision, Kondo and Kezumi find themselves at a crossroads and must confront their new friend. Goodner and Tsurumi’s brightly illustrated chapter book should find favor with fans of Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen’s similarly designed Mercy Watson series. Short, wry, descriptive sentences make for an equally enjoyable experience whether read aloud or independently. Episodic chapters move the action along jauntily; the conclusion is somewhat abrupt, but it promises more exploration and adventures for the best friends. (This review was originally published in the June 1, 2019, issue. The book data has been updated to reflect changes in publisher and date of publication.)
A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-368-02577-5
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) upgrades to The Mice and the Rolls-Royce.
In Windsor Castle there sits a “dollhouse like no other,” replete with working plumbing, electricity, and even a full library of real, tiny books. Called Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, it also plays host to the Whiskers family, a clan of mice that has maintained the house for generations. Henry Whiskers and his cousin Jeremy get up to the usual high jinks young mice get up to, but when Henry’s little sister Isabel goes missing at the same time that the humans decide to clean the house up, the usually bookish big brother goes on the adventure of his life. Now Henry is driving cars, avoiding cats, escaping rats, and all before the upcoming mouse Masquerade. Like an extended version of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904), Priebe keeps this short chapter book constantly moving, with Duncan’s peppy art a cute capper. Oddly, the dollhouse itself plays only the smallest of roles in this story, and no factual information on the real Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is included at the tale’s end (an opportunity lost).
Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales. (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6575-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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