It’s been a hair over two decades since a new book by Anno (Anno’s Magic Seeds, 1995) last made its way to our shores; this...
The Japanese master of quotidian detail takes readers up China’s Yellow River in this new book, first published in Japan in 2009.
Taking his inspiration from a 12th-century Chinese scroll, Anno presents some 20-plus wordless scenes that encompass both miles and centuries. Opening scenes depict a foggy morning, mist obscuring the riverbanks so boats float in negative space. As pages turn, the mists clear and readers see bustling villages teeming with activity: in one corner a small group practices meditative exercise; in another a house is razed; in yet another a heated game of table tennis takes place. At first glance, readers may feel they are in medieval China, as sailed vessels navigate the river, and horses, oxen, and humans pull carts. Readers who look closely, however, will notice the ubiquitous bicycles, and it becomes clear that Anno’s representation of time is elastic. One scene toward the end depicts the 1974 discovery of the famed terra-cotta army; another depicts present-day anti-desertification efforts on the Yellow Plateau—both with no machinery in sight. Several pages of notes explain the artist’s approach to these scenes, often comparing China’s culture to Japan’s—a valuable exercise in perspective for all readers.
It’s been a hair over two decades since a new book by Anno (Anno’s Magic Seeds, 1995) last made its way to our shores; this tour, breathtaking in its own right, is therefore doubly welcome . (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-893103-63-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Beautiful Feet
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2016
There’s lots to see and do in this big city.
A set of panoramic views of the urban environment: inside and out, above and belowground, at street level and high overhead.
Thanks to many flaps, pull tabs, spinners, and sliders, viewers can take peeks into stores and apartments, see foliage change through the seasons in a park, operate elevators, make buildings rise and come down, visit museums and municipal offices, take in a film, join a children’s parade, marvel as Christmas decorations go up—even look in on a wedding and a funeral. Balicevic populates each elevated cartoon view with dozens of tiny but individualized residents diverse in age, skin tone, hair color and style, dress, and occupation. He also adds such contemporary touches as an electrical charging station for cars, surveillance cameras, smartphones, and fiber optic cables. Moreover, many flaps conceal diagrammatic views of infrastructure elements like water treatment facilities and sources of electrical power or how products ranging from plate glass and paper to bread, cheese, and T-shirts are manufactured (realistically, none of the workers in the last are white). Baumann’s commentary is largely dispensable, but she does worthily observe on the big final pop-up spread that cities are always changing—often, nowadays, becoming more environmentally friendly.
There’s lots to see and do in this big city. (Informational novelty. 6-9)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 979-1-02760-079-3
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Teachers will certainly find themselves wishing for their own arsenal of supplies to help them with their grading, and...
Obviously inspired by "The Little Red Hen," this goes beyond the foundation tale's basic moral about work ethic to explore problem solving, teamwork and doing one’s best.
Nighttime at school brings the Little Red Pen out of the drawer to correct papers, usually aided by other common school supplies. But not this time. Too afraid of being broken, worn out, dull, lost or, worst of all, put in the “Pit of No Return” (aka trash), they hide in the drawer despite the Little Red Pen’s insistence that the world will end if the papers do not get corrected. But even with her drive she cannot do it all herself—her efforts send her to the Pit. It takes the ingenuity and cooperation of every desk supply to accomplish her rescue and to get all the papers graded, thereby saving the world. The authors work in lots of clever wordplay that will appeal to adult readers, as will the spicy character of Chincheta, the Mexican pushpin. Stevens’ delightfully expressive desk supplies were created with paint, ink and plenty of real school supplies. Without a doubt, she has captured their true personalities: the buck-toothed stapler, bespectacled scissors and rather empty-headed eraser.
Teachers will certainly find themselves wishing for their own arsenal of supplies to help them with their grading, and students may take a second glance at that innocuous-looking red pen on the teacher’s desk. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 18, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-15-206432-7
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2011
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