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YUCK'S PET WORM AND YUCK'S ROTTEN JOKE

Name: YUCK'S PET WORM AND YUCK'S ROTTEN JOKE
Author: Matt and Dave
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8150-3

From the Yuck series , Vol. 2

by Matt and Dave ; illustrated by Nigel Baines ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2013

Parents might think of the book as therapy. It will help their children survive the battles they fight every day.

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This book has one surefire selling point: No adult will be able to stand it.

Middle-grade boys are always at war with someone. Yuck, for example, hates his parents because they keep asking to see his report card. He hates his sister, Polly, because she’s always tattling on him. He hates his teacher because she won’t let him wear smelly socks. But Yuck loves worms. He can hide a worm in his sister’s spaghetti during the family dinner. A worm, it turns out, is the ultimate weapon. Yuck has learned to hypnotize his pet worm by playing a recorder. “Go and annoy Polly,” Yuck says. Fortunately, the worm speaks English, so Yuck can play a whole series of tricks. Well, actually, it’s the same trick over and over: The worm disguises himself as a hair ribbon. The worm disguises himself as a drinking straw. The second story in the book is just as repetitive. Yuck plays one prank after another and blames Polly and her friend Lucy each time. Middle-grade boys won’t object. They may see each prank as a battle in an ongoing war. Yuck is clever enough to win victories that boys almost never see in real life.

Parents might think of the book as therapy. It will help their children survive the battles they fight every day. (Chapter book. 7-10)

Pub Date: April 2, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4424-8150-3

Page Count: 112

Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
YUCK'S FART CLUB AND YUCK'S SICK TRICK
by Matt and Dave & illustrated by Nigel Baines

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BROTHER WOLF OF GUBBIO

A LEGEND OF SAINT FRANCIS

by Colony Elliott Santangelo ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2000

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In simple, lyrical language, accompanied by richly colored paintings, newcomer Santangelo tells a story of how friendship and trust replaced fear and hatred. Once, a very long time ago, a lone wolf was “old and tired, and a new young leader had taken his place.” The wolf remained behind, near an Italian mountain village as his pack moved on. The next morning, to his surprise and good fortune, a young lamb strayed from its flock and appeared right in front of him. Gathering his last bit of energy the old wolf pounced and filled his empty belly. Over the next few weeks the wolf stole a lamb here, a goat there, and even wandered into the town. The town’s people didn’t see an ancient, wretched lone wolf. Their imagination and fear had created a monster so big and terrible that they could barely leave their homes. The baker grew tired of being afraid and set out for the village of Assisi, where a man named Francis lived. They had heard that Francis could tame the wildest of beasts. Santangelo creates unique illustrations by using ink and colored pencil on wood panels (bordered in gold leaf), laid out in a style reminiscent of segments of stained glass. Santangelo’s palette is slightly dark and muddy, which feels at odds with the reference to cathedral windows. However, the deep purples, greens, and blues are applied in a pattern of staining that allows the wood grain to show through, and the overall effect is quite lovely. A promising debut. No source notes. (Nonfiction. 8-10)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2000

ISBN: 1-929766-07-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2000

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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CLARA LEE AND THE APPLE PIE DREAM

by Jenny Han & illustrated by Julia Kuo ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 4, 2011

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Dreaming of being the Apple Pie Princess in her town’s Apple Blossom Festival, Korean-American third grader Clara Lee defies a classmate who claims to be more deserving and bravely makes a speech in front of the whole school to win the honor. This appealing family-and-school story focuses as much on Clara Lee’s relationships with her little sister, Emmeline, and her “dream genius” grandfather as it does on her friends and the competition. Han, who has previously written about teens (The Summer I Turned Pretty, 2009) and preteens (Shug, 2006), captures an 8-year-old’s perspective perfectly. The first-person narrative includes imaginative play, family squabbles, the school-bus experience and a touching speech about the special joys of small-town life. Her grandfather assures her: “One hundred percent American. One hundred percent Korean. Doesn’t make you less than anybody else. It makes you more.” The message shines through but doesn’t overwhelm this engaging chapter book that will be welcomed by middle-grade fans of Clementine. Final art not seen. (Fiction. 7-10)