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SONATA FOR FISH AND BOY

Name: SONATA FOR FISH AND BOY
Author: Milan Pavlović
ISBN: 978-1-77306-161-0

by Milan Pavlović ; illustrated by Milan Pavlović ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021

A loving ode to art forms that transcends language.

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The titular boy and fish guide readers and nonreaders alike through a dreamy, textless journey.

Pavlović’s watercolor illustrations begin with soft purples and blues, depicting a cheerful fish drawn to the surface of a river by music—it’s the sound of a violin, played by a boy sitting by the water. Exhausted by his practicing, the boy falls asleep, awakening swimming through the air with his new scaly friend through an increasingly saturated dreamscape. The nameless boy and his companion retain their watery hues while floating past musicians and dancers, up to the stars and back again, until landing, Wizard of Oz–style, gently back in their original palette. The violin, abandoned by the riverside, is picked up by an elderly man—possibly the original boy—whereupon he meets and embraces a friendly fish. Emotive, expertly rendered watercolors inspire quiet contemplation and will be welcoming for all ages, encouraging appreciation for the many ways different art forms can transport a viewer or listener. The main figure, though described as a boy in the title, appears almost genderless and is pale and light-haired. Other humans are depicted with a wide range of ages and gender presentations and a variety of realistic and fantastical skin colors and hair textures. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 65% of actual size.)

A loving ode to art forms that transcends language. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-77306-161-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Groundwood

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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SUN WISHES
by Patricia Storms ; illustrated by Milan Pavlović

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THE THING LENNY LOVES MOST ABOUT BASEBALL
by Andrew Larsen ; illustrated by Milan Pavlović

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SON OF HAPPY
by Cary Fagan ; illustrated by Milan Pavlović

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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

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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)