by Matt Davies ; illustrated by Matt Davies ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2015
Funny and exuberantly sweet.
Ben Lukin, the bike-loving boy from Ben Rides On (2013), loses something of special significance: his sketchbook.
Ben loves drawing: “He loved to draw in writing class / and also in math class.” He draws everything, including people—here, his sketchbook opens to two full pages of caricatures of his schoolmates. Davies’ cartoon line hums with energy. Ben’s eyebrows hover animatedly above his toothy grin; every page seems to tilt with the forward motion of the story. After an exhilarating bike ride home “the long way,” flying over hills and dales (his hair flowing free, though a sign for Acme helmets peeks cheekily out from the edge of town), Ben realizes he’s lost his sketchbook. That moment of loss is nicely done—Ben reaches into his backpack and comes back empty-handed; fireworks of dismay hit him. Attentive readers may notice its fall; here, an inset box shows a hand reaching to pick it up. The following double-page spread shows Ben’s search up and down the hills: Where could he have lost it? Readers may worry about Ben when he walks into his classroom and realizes that everyone is examining his drawings—of them. Yet when Mr. Upright picks up the sketchbook, “thoughtfully placed on his desk,” and leads Ben out of the classroom, the outcome turns into a moment of victory for the young artist.
Funny and exuberantly sweet. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-59643-795-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
Share your opinion of this book
More by Aaron Reynolds
BOOK REVIEW
by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Matt Davies
BOOK REVIEW
by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Matt Davies
BOOK REVIEW
by Matt Davies ; illustrated by Matt Davies
by Christopher Denise ; illustrated by Christopher Denise ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2022
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Kirkus Reviews'
Best Books Of 2022
New York Times Bestseller
IndieBound Bestseller
Caldecott Honor
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Anitra Rowe Schulte
BOOK REVIEW
by Anitra Rowe Schulte ; illustrated by Christopher Denise
BOOK REVIEW
by Maryrose Wood ; illustrated by Christopher Denise
BOOK REVIEW
by Anika Denise ; illustrated by Christopher Denise
More About This Book
by Stan Kirby & illustrated by George O'Connor ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2012
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)
The town of Sunnyview got a little bit safer when 8-year-old Eugene McGillicudy moved in.
Just like his comic-book mentor, Super Dude, Eugene, aka Captain Awesome, is on a one-man mission is to save the world from supervillains, like the nefarious “Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby.” Just as Eugene suspected, plenty of new supervillains await him at Sunnyview Elementary. Are Meredith Mooney and the mind-reading Ms. Beasley secretly working together to try and force Eugene to reveal his secret identity? Will Principal Brick Foot succeed in throwing Captain Awesome into the “Dungeon of Detention?” Fortunately, Eugene isn’t forced to go it alone. Charlie Thomas Jones, fellow comic-book lover and Super Dude fan, stands ready and willing to help. When the class hamster goes missing, Captain Awesome must don his cape and, with the help of his new best friend, ride to the rescue. Kirby’s funny and engaging third-person narration and O’Connor’s hilarious illustrations make the book easily accessible and enormously appealing, particularly to readers who have recently graduated to chapter books. But it is the quirky, mischievous Eugene that really makes this book special. His energy and humor are contagious, and his dogged commitment to his superhero alter ego is enough to make anyone a believer.
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4090-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Stan Kirby & illustrated by George O'Connor
More by Stan Kirby
BOOK REVIEW
by Stan Kirby & illustrated by George O'Connor
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.