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JUST US, PLATYPUS!

Name: JUST US, PLATYPUS!
Author: Michelle L. Brown
ISBN: 9781631637711

From the Kangaroo's Big World series

by Michelle L. Brown ; illustrated by Rayanne Vieira ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2024

A worthwhile message in a longer beginning-reader format.

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First impressions often need adjusting.

How we perceive others when we first encounter them—and how they perceive us—are important issues, handled lightly but with focus here. Kangaroo is having a fine time hopping when she falls into a creek. She spots an unknown animal in the water and, seeing the creature’s bill, thinks it might be Duck. But no—not a duck, not a frog: The creature is brown and furry, with a large flat tail, black eyes, and sharp claws. Kangaroo worriedly suspects that it might be a “River Monster,” while Platypus, observing Kangaroo’s deerlike head, giant feet, and short arms, fears she might be a “Land Monster.” Different preferred diets elicit a “Gross” from Platypus and an unspoken “Ick” from Kangaroo. But Kangaroo very politely asks to see his unusual paws and praises him when he teaches her to swim. Her wise conclusion is an acceptance of their individuality. Sometimes the rhyming four-beat lines are rocky, with anywhere from four to 13 syllables and changing stresses. The flat, grayscale, cartoonish illustrations are serviceable. A platypus has no teeth, but despite the “thought bubbles,” it might not be clear that the scary mouthful of sharp incisors depicted here exists only in Kangaroo’s imagination. Discussion questions close out the book.

A worthwhile message in a longer beginning-reader format. (Easy reader. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2024

ISBN: 9781631637711

Page Count: 48

Publisher: North Star Editions

Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
TA-DA, KOALA!
by Michelle L. Brown ; illustrated by Rayanne Vieira

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
BYE BYE, BUTTERFLY
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

- BOOK REVIEW
NO MOUSIE LEFT BEHIND
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MOST MAGNIFICENT MAKER'S A TO Z
by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)