The basic story is retold by Gerstein (Victor, p. 1117, etc.), with extraordinary details: Noah was 498 years old when he married and had his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth; he lived among cruel, greedy, violent giants whom God views with pained regret; for 120 years, Noah tries, at God’s request, to change his neighbors’ ways, to no avail. With the help from an angel, Noah builds an ark and gathers his fold, including the unknown creatures urshanas, ogs, and rayeems, and so the story is played out. Gerstein’s fusion of a variety of sources for the story gives it a richness; although for the picture-book audience, the details will be extraneous, there is no denying their value as curiosities, and as welcome springboards to discussion. (Picture book. 5-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-689-81371-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1998
Another win for Judy and her friends.
Determination and hard work prepare Judy Moody as she tests her knowledge of book trivia in a battle of the books.
Judy, little brother Stink, and some familiar classmates from their second and third grade classes are the Virginia Dare School Bookworms, the book quiz champions who will be representing the school in the First Ever Book Quiz Blowout at the Starlight Lanes Bowling Alley. Nervous about their competition—Braintree Academy’s Bloodsucking Fake-Moustache Defenders and their star player, Mighty Fantaskey—the team is taking every possible moment to read: on the bus, during karate class, and even at the dinner table. Stink makes a cape out of scribbled-on sticky notes on the books he’s read, and Judy tries her hand at speed-reading. Enthusiasm for reading is never lost even as the children prepare for the contest. A diverse gathering of familiar titles is referenced throughout, matching this series’ reading level (all titles mentioned are compiled in the backmatter). Building excitement propels the story up through the competition to an ultimately satisfying ending. Reynolds’ well-placed watercolor, tea, and ink illustrations break up text, allowing necessary breaks for bridging readers. Aside from teacher and coach Mr. Todd, who is black, and Mighty Fantaskey, who seems to be a child of color, all characters appear white.
Another win for Judy and her friends. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0484-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Donut miss this delightful diversion.
Squirrel pals go on a stealth mission to procure much-desired donuts in this charming intermediate graphic novel.
Norma and Belly are two brown squirrels who love tasty treats! When Norma burns their pancakes one morning, the two discover something even more exciting: a food truck dedicated exclusively to donuts! Determined to bring a sweet treat back for themselves and their squirrel friends, they approach the donut maker hoping to trade chestnuts for donuts only to be spritzed with water and shooed away. Undeterred, the duo recruit the bespectacled squirrel Gramps and Little Bee, a short squirrel whose profile looks like the letter B, for an incognito mission to steal the donuts they long for. They’ll have to overcome their small stature, an overenthusiastic donut machine, and their potential discovery by the donut maker in order to procure their tasty treats. A happy ending involving a new squirrel-invented donut flavor reassures readers that the owner of the donut truck doesn’t hold a grudge. Norma is a go-getter; her triangular-shaped head and body reflect her willingness to be a bit sharp to get the job done. Belly, thimble-shaped, is optimistic and conflict-averse. A natural color palette and watercolors that comfortably bleed outside thick black lines are fitting for this soft story and let the characters and dialogue shine.
Donut miss this delightful diversion. (Graphic fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-984895-83-7
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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