A story of family transitions and childhood milestones that marks another fine addition to a cozy British series.
Rescue dog McTavish helps his young human adjust when they move to a new house.
The fourth installment in the McTavish Stories series sees the tightknit Peachey family moving to a new neighborhood thanks to Pa Peachey’s new job. Moving also means changing schools for Betty and Ollie but not for oldest child Ava. While the three siblings are not thrilled about leaving behind the only home they have ever known, Betty, the youngest, is the one most anxious about the big changes ahead. Eventually, though, we all—even dogs—have to face the unknown and take the first step into a new life. And having a canine pal like McTavish can help when it comes to making new friends. This fast-paced transitional chapter book is peppered with well-placed grayscale illustrations. They show that the Peachey family members have pale and tan skin tones and that Betty’s classmates are casually diverse. The story can be used to teach children about the dangers of taking dogs into public spaces and not penning them up when appropriate. In a book that generally feels old-fashioned, the appearance of a mobile phone is a bit jarring.
A story of family transitions and childhood milestones that marks another fine addition to a cozy British series. (Transitional chapter book. 7-10)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1376-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2022
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale.
After a tsunami devastates their habitat in the Salish Sea, a young orca and her brother embark on a remarkable adventure.
Vega’s matriarchal family expects her to become a hunter and wayfinder, with her younger brother, Deneb, protecting and supporting her. Invited to guide her family to their Gathering Place to hunt salmon, Vega’s underwater miscalculations endanger them all, and an embarrassed Vega questions whether she should be a wayfinder. When the baby sister she hoped would become her life companion is stillborn, a distraught Vega carries the baby away to a special resting place, shocking her grieving family. Dispatched to find his missing sister, Deneb locates Vega in the midst of a terrible tsunami. To escape the waters polluted by shattered boats, Vega leads Deneb into unfamiliar open sea. Alone and hungry, the young siblings encounter a spectacular giant whale and travel briefly with shark-hunting orcas. Trusting her instincts and gaining emotional strength from contemplating the vastness of the sky, Vega knows she must lead her brother home and help save her surviving family. In alternating first-person voices, Vega and Deneb tell their harrowing story, engaging young readers while educating them about the marine ecosystem. Realistic black-and-white illustrations enhance the maritime setting.
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale. (maps, wildlife facts, tribes of the Salish Sea watershed, environmental and geographical information, how to help orcas, author’s note, artist’s note, resources) (Animal fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-299592-6
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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