Spectacular paintings on black backgrounds, a sleek design, and charmingly understated poems add up to blue-ribbon merit in this handsome poetic tribute to man’s best friend. Sixteen unrhymed poems are perfectly paired with paintings of specific breeds (and one happy-go-lucky mutt), capturing each dog’s attitude or special characteristics in a way that shows great empathy and understanding of the canine world. (In a departure from standard publishing practice, Gottfried wrote the poems to accompany the paintings rather than the reverse.) Each poem offers a distinctive canine voice, from a feisty Chihuahua to a faithful Collie, and many have tongue-in-check humor that will appeal to both children and adults. The volume’s sophisticated design showcases each poem on a white background with additional line drawings of the chosen breed, facing a painted portrait of a single dog against a dramatic black background. Most of the portraits are straight-on views of the dog in an expressive pose, with the breed name casually lettered in white chalk in the background, resulting in a simple but memorable artistic composition. Dog lovers of all ages will find this collection an irresistible treat. (Poetry. 4-12)
Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2005
ISBN: 0-375-83049-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2005
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S POETRY
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Hee haw.
11
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The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new...
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How Ivan confronts his harrowing past yet stays true to his nature exemplifies everything youngsters need to know about courage.
Living in a "domain" of glass, metal and cement at the Big Top Mall, Ivan sometimes forgets whether to act like a gorilla or a human—except Ivan does not think much of humans. He describes their behavior as frantic, whereas he is a peaceful artist. Fittingly, Ivan narrates his tale in short, image-rich sentences and acute, sometimes humorous, observations that are all the more heartbreaking for their simple delivery. His sorrow is palpable, but he stoically endures the cruelty of humans until Ruby the baby elephant is abused. In a pivotal scene, Ivan finally admits his domain is a cage, and rather than let Ruby live and die in grim circumstances, he promises to save her. In order to express his plea in a painting, Ivan must bravely face buried memories of the lush jungle, his family and their brutal murder, which is recounted in a brief, powerful chapter sure to arouse readers’ passions. In a compelling ending, the more challenging question Applegate poses is whether or not Ivan will remember what it was like to be a gorilla. Spot art captures poignant moments throughout.
Utterly believable, this bittersweet story, complete with an author’s note identifying the real Ivan, will inspire a new generation of advocates. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-06-199225-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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