In this whimsical account of enduring a cold, a boy begins by describing his symptoms, from runny nose and sore throat through fever. Vibrant digitally enhanced ink illustrations portray the boy as he goes through the stages of being sick and, along with the text, venture into the world of imagination when the boy recovers and thinks about where his cold might have gone. He recalls colds past, envisioning the bug as an anthropomorphic, green, red-nosed creature who visits people he knows, and wonders if his cold is traveling the world, visiting places such as Canada, the Alps and Peru. The colorful pictures show each area with basic, identifiable details and present people of various races and cultures throughout the world, while the playful story’s gentle humor will engage and entertain. It turns out the cold hasn’t traveled that far though; the boy realizes it’s traveled across the hall—to his sister’s room. Quirky and unusual, with a touch of multiculturalism, this may be just the right book to entertain a child who is feeling ill. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25474-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2010
A tale that blooms in its realism and message of kindness and love.
Joy emerges in the discovery of small things in the world.
In this third story about effervescent Miyuki and her calm, kind grandfather, Miyuki wants to understand what Grandpa is doing as he dances through tai chi positions and then sits still and quiet. Grandpa guides bouncy Miyuki through the steps of meditation as they walk through the gardens, inviting her to look deeply at the light on the river, the fluffy clouds in the sky, the raindrops, and more. Miyuki, her mind wandering and so unaware of what’s been happening, asks persistently, “when will we meditate?” A compelling double-page spread places a small Miyuki and Grandpa up and off to the side as he reminds her of all that they have contemplated, communicating to young readers that we are but a part of our world—not the whole of it. Soon Miyuki understands and says, “Grandpa, doesn’t it feel good to be here right now?” The stylized nature of these highly patterned, textured illustrations plays with size and scale, light and color, to immerse readers in the delight and peace inherent in meditation, contemplation, and reflection. Galliez and Ratanavanh once again capture the simplicity of Miyuki’s inner journey, and in so doing they invite young readers, especially those as vivacious and colorful as young Miyuki, to take part in meditation.
A tale that blooms in its realism and message of kindness and love. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-61689-901-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bedtime-bookshelf fodder.
Will a goodnight buddy help restless Roderick fall asleep?
The opening text cuts to the chase and declares, “Roderick hated going to bed.” Campbell’s accompanying watercolor illustration shows a pajama-clad boy with his back to readers (and parents). He looks away from his toys and casts a defiant look over his shoulder at his parents, whose bodies are only partially visible on the page as they loom over him. Humorous text and art proceed to share his various stalling techniques, including his intentional provocation of a litany of “reasons why he couldn’t have a pony.” Roderick is resistant when his parents introduce him to Sleepy, “a goodnight buddy to help him sleep.” The stuffed animal looks like a cross between a bear and a moose with enormous eyes that stare at Roderick until he finally tosses him in his closet. He’s shocked and exclaims, “You’re alive!” when Sleepy protests. Sleepy then turns the tables on Roderick and wears him out with a series of demands and protestations against going to sleep. Lo and behold, an exhausted Roderick finally collapses in his bed, but not before Sleepy’s antics and Roderick’s responses to them can delight readers—though some may object to a cheap attempt for laughs when Roderick reads aloud a book entitled The Witch’s Booty, about “a witch with a very big butt,” and a rapid-fire barrage of variants on “freak” in the dialogue. Roderick is a pink-skinned, big-eyed boy with a mop of dark curls.
Bedtime-bookshelf fodder. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4847-8969-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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