A thoroughly enjoyable tale of bravery, imagination, friendship and triumph.
Stein’s (When Disaster Strikes, 2011, etc.) debut picture book introduces a daring frog who risks everything to save the swamp he loves.
Geronimo is a bold frog who grew up on stories about the brave Native American warriors of the Big Cypress Swamp in Florida. He’s never allowed himself to be held back by his size; as a young frog, he delighted in leaping out of trees and terrifying his brother and sister while shouting “Geronimo!” in honor of the ancient warrior whose stories inspired him. Even being sent to bed without his horsefly stew never deters him from following his irrepressible dreams. When a gang that has wild parties and leaves their garbage everywhere threatens his swamp, it’s Geronimo who steps up to lead the other animals in a mission to save it. It’s not easy, and the gang captures Geronimo. But his leadership has inspired the team of animals; they find bravery where they had none so they can save their leader. After the courageous rescue, it still takes both ingenuity and the recruitment of outside help for Geronimo and his friends to save the swamp for good. The brilliantly colored illustrations are full of life and energy. Geronimo is a dynamic force, and his energy and appeal seem to leap off the pages. Stein balances several instructive moments for kids. Tiny Geronimo’s ability to save a swamp from a bunch of aggressive, mean humans shows kids that they, with perseverance, can triumph, no matter how daunting the opposition. In addition, the illustration of a heron with plastic around its neck vividly depicts the impact that littering has on the environment—another good lesson for kids. These lessons, however, do not distract from the pure joy of the adventures of Geronimo and his animal friends. The text flows well when read aloud, and it’s just challenging enough to keep the interest of children who have moved beyond very basic picture books.
A thoroughly enjoyable tale of bravery, imagination, friendship and triumph.Pub Date: Nov. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-1482535655
Page Count: 58
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 6, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A spectacular return to a magical world.
Following the events of Impossible Creatures (2024), a devoted Guardian teams up with a brave princess to fight her power-hungry uncle and save the Archipelago’s dragons from a strange new threat.
Jacques the dragon summons Christopher Forrester back to the Archipelago from the human world: Dragons are dying, and no one knows why. Meanwhile, on the island of Dousha, Princess Anya’s grandfather, King Halam, has been murdered, and her father accused—though she knows he’s innocent. When Christopher and Anya take refuge on the islet of Glimt, the Berserker Nighthand helps them see how their twin missions to save the dragons and free Anya’s father are connected. They work together to create an antidote for the poison that’s killing the dragons and to keep Anya and her father safe from her murderous uncle. Meanwhile, Nighthand and Irian, the part-nereid ocean scholar, pursue their own important secret mission. Divided into three parts—“Castle,” “Dragons,” and “Revenge”—and containing elements of fairy tales, fantasy, and Shakespeare, this story continues the storyline established in the series opener, yet because it introduces new characters and obstacles, it could also stand alone. Dark-blond Anya (“five feet tall and all of it claws”) is a match for white-presenting Christopher, who, though he still misses Mal, finds that “it made a difference to have someone to move through the world with again. A friend changed the feel of the universe.” Mackenzie’s delicate, otherworldly art adorns the text.
A spectacular return to a magical world. (map, bestiary) (Fantasy. 10-15)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9780593809907
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
PROFILES
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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