This story begins like the others in the series, including The Egg (2001), The Great Dragon Rescue (2004) and The Dragon Snatcher (2005): An English boy named George sits in his garden, concerned with little more than “his mother’s favourite chicken.” On the next page, he is without explanation transported to a land “where knights were bold, and carried big shiny swords to prove it.” The story then unfolds with fairy-tale predictability: The King will reward half his kingdom to anyone who rids the land of a pair of gruesome trolls, and of course, George can achieve what the entire army cannot. Robertson’s illustrations feature truly ugly trolls—twins with the same ears, bad taste in jewelry and severe underbite—and beautiful dragons, but the divide-and-conquer story line comes to a quick and tidy solution, with readers placed once again back in George’s yard with just the turn of a page. Recommended for fans of the series. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-84507-763-1
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2009
The Hassetts (Charles of the Wild, 1997, etc.) skewer unhelpful neighbors and public servants with this pointed and witty picture book. When Nana Quimby sees a cat up a tree outside her window, she calls the fire house. They tell her “Sorry,” that they don’t rescue cats anymore, but that she may call back should the cat start playing with matches. The next time Nana looks, there are five cats, then ten, then fifteen, and so on, but “Sorry” is all she hears from the police, pet shop, zoo, library, post office, and City Hall. As the cats, now numbering 40, settle in to live with Nana, City Hall calls back, begging for help with a surprising new mouse problem. “Sorry,” Nana purrs, “the cats do not catch mice any more.” In sly illustrations, small, sinuous felines with gracefully expressive tails pose against leafy backgrounds, or in the final scene, are strewn cozily about Nana Quimby’s retro kitchen like calligraphed curlicues. Children won’t be able to resist the temptation to count them, and few will quibble with the notion that when it comes to cat-and-mouse, turnabout is fair play. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-395-88415-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1998
The twin offspring of Mr. and Mrs. Badd don't exactly live up to their name, but they do have quite an adventure when— instead of napping—they bounce and rock their bed out the door. Their trip downtown includes stops at the bakery (where Mrs. Tasty Pastry ``gave them cookies with frosting on top/From the Tasty Pastry Bakery Shoppe/And a chocolate Çclair to share''), the ``super brand-new Bijou show'' (popcorn), a hamburger joint (``And an order of fries to share''), and the ``Noah Badd Read-A- Book Nook,'' where Dad ``gave them each a nap-time book.'' Then it's home for a kiss each and ``a nice big blanket to share.'' As the wheeled bed careens along, the gleeful cartoon-style illustrations burst with energy; the plot is an adequate vehicle for the catchy, rhythmic text, lilting like Mother Goose with internal rhymes and repetitions. Adults may find the bug-eyed babies off-putting, but young listeners will be entranced with their junk-food goodies and taste of freedom. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 15, 1992
ISBN: 1-878093-85-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1992
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