A fresh take on tooth-fairy lore.
Becoming a tooth fairy involves visits to many toothy creatures.
Tate, the titular tooth fairy–in-training, narrates the rhyming text as her big sister, May, teaches her how to retrieve kids’ teeth and leave them coins. The twist, telegraphed by the undersea imagery in the cover art, comes when May brings Tate to a lake because a “baby hippo needs a visit. / Not every child’s a human, is it?” Brave Tate perseveres through visits to a crocodile, a fierce-looking seal, and “a MASSIVE anaconda,” her expressive, light-brown face betraying the jitters underlying her bravery. The last visit is to a human child. “A little girl. I can’t go wrong,” narrates Tate, so of course, this is where drama ensues. It’s light drama, however, befitting the gentle, cartoon style of the illustrations, which give characters’ facial features a look similar to Crockett Johnson’s Harold (of purple-crayon fame). “I had to get caught by Melissa… / a doll-collecting fairy kisser,” Tate laments as she squirms in wakeful, white-appearing Melissa’s hands, the backdrop a bedroom filled with fairy dolls, a dollhouse, and other whimsical toys and décor. Tate’s magic wand does the trick of getting Melissa back to sleep, and then she and May return home, triumphant, to rest up for their next trip.
A fresh take on tooth-fairy lore. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0939-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area.
A pair of cardinals is separated and then reunited when their tree home is moved to New York City to serve as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
The male cardinal, Red, and his female partner, Lulu, enjoy their home in a huge evergreen tree located in the front yard of a small house in a pleasant neighborhood. When the tree is cut down and hauled away on a truck, Lulu is still inside the tree. Red follows the truck into the city but loses sight of it and gets lost. The birds are reunited when Red finds the tree transformed with colored lights and serving as the Christmas tree in a complex of city buildings. When the tree is removed after Christmas, the birds find a new home in a nearby park. Each following Christmas, the pair visit the new tree erected in the same location. Attractive illustrations effectively handle some difficult challenges of dimension and perspective and create a glowing, magical atmosphere for the snowy Christmas trees. The original owners of the tree are a multiracial family with two children; the father is African-American and the mother is white. The family is in the background in the early pages, reappearing again skating on the rink at Rockefeller Center with their tree in the background.
A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7733-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
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