A thoroughly charming illustrated children’s book about a curious, adventure-loving dog that bodes well for the series to...
An appealing children’s tale of a lively, loyal canine named Pip and his camping adventure with his favorite “Persons”: the author, a wildlife photographer; and her husband, a naturalist.
Furry little Pip is a Schipperke, a Belgian breed of canine, but as far as he’s concerned, he’s “pure Adventure dog.” In this charming, resonant first book in a planned series, Pip joyfully accompanies his owners, Micki Lu and Brad, on a camping trip to Texas’ Caprock Canyons State Park. Getting there is half the fun: In the truck, Pip sits in a special, dog-safe seat between his Persons, giving him a clear view of the passing scenery. He’s in a perfect spot to receive lots of affectionate petting during the trip, and the air vents keep him cool and bring in “all sorts of new and wonderful smells.” Pip hears Micki Lu talk about looking for horned toads to photograph, and he pictures the “fat, squishy things” in his backyard back home, noting that “not one of them had ever had horns!” At night, he curls up to sleep inside the “House on Wheels.” Just before dawn, he awakens and peers through the window, thrilled to see a raccoon and a deer with two fawns and somewhat relieved that the rustling he’d heard wasn’t caused by a “very big toad” with horns. His excitement and sense of discovery warms each page of this gentle, genuine story, as does the author’s apparent deep love and care for the real-life Pip—who’s not only the author’s companion, but her medical-alert dog as well. The book’s soft, expressive colored-pencil drawings follow Pip through human and natural environments, reflecting the observant authenticity of Lu’s storytelling, right down to Pip’s satisfying encounter with an actual horned toad.
A thoroughly charming illustrated children’s book about a curious, adventure-loving dog that bodes well for the series to come.Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2013
ISBN: 978-1491038031
Page Count: 40
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Nov. 29, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book.
Ada Twist’s incessant stream of questions leads to answers that help solve a neighborhood crisis.
Ada conducts experiments at home to answer questions such as, why does Mom’s coffee smell stronger than Dad’s coffee? Each answer leads to another question, another hypothesis, and another experiment, which is how she goes from collecting data on backyard birds for a citizen-science project to helping Rosie Revere figure out how to get her uncle Ned down from the sky, where his helium-filled “perilous pants” are keeping him afloat. The Questioneers—Rosie the engineer, Iggy Peck the architect, and Ada the scientist—work together, asking questions like scientists. Armed with knowledge (of molecules and air pressure, force and temperature) but more importantly, with curiosity, Ada works out a solution. Ada is a recognizable, three-dimensional girl in this delightfully silly chapter book: tirelessly curious and determined yet easily excited and still learning to express herself. If science concepts aren’t completely clear in this romp, relationships and emotions certainly are. In playful full- and half-page illustrations that break up the text, Ada is black with Afro-textured hair; Rosie and Iggy are white. A closing section on citizen science may inspire readers to get involved in science too; on the other hand, the “Ode to a Gas!” may just puzzle them. Other backmatter topics include the importance of bird study and the threat palm-oil use poses to rainforests.
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3422-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Jabari succeeds, and so does this book.
Jabari works hard to build a gizmo that flies, but his best modification may be inspired by his partner.
When Jabari announces his machine will fly “all the way across” their spacious, landscaped yard, he is certain he won’t need any help. While his father gardens and his younger sister plays, Jabari builds a launch ramp, sends his machine through, and…crash! Little Nika wants in on the fun, but Jabari is “concentrating.” He takes inspiration from inventors and engineers, who use creativity and hard work to solve their problems. He plans, sketches, builds, and tries and tries again. He lets Nika help out, reluctantly at first, and when he gets so frustrated he wants to cry, he takes his father’s advice: gathering his patience and blowing away his “muddy feelings.” When he tries once more, with a clear head and support from his pint-sized partner, he discovers a change that makes his machine—and his confidence—soar. This generously sized picture book offers a lovely picture of mentorship and healthy relationships in the context of a thriving Black family with dark skin tones. Jabari’s emotional ups and downs will be familiar to young children, and his hard-won success feels triumphant. Cornwall’s clean, clear illustrations use patterns, green hues, and white space to deliver a variety of effective scenes.
Jabari succeeds, and so does this book. (Picture book. 3-9)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0716-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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