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TRAMPOLINE BOY

Name: TRAMPOLINE BOY
Author: Nan Forler
ISBN: 978-1-77049-830-3

by Nan Forler ; illustrated by Marion Arbona ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2018

Doesn’t get off the ground.

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As one might guess from the book’s title, an otherwise unnamed boy with bangs that cover his eyes is obsessed with bouncing on his trampoline.

He bounces from morning to night, reaching magical heights, from which he is able to see red-winged blackbirds flying past, “airplanes drawing curly-cues,” and “wispy white clouds.” His obsession draws unwelcome attention from passing schoolchildren, who mock his constant bouncing. “Can’t you do anything else?” they taunt. “He is so weird” The boy’s lack of social connection suggests he may be on the spectrum. Only one child is drawn into his bouncy, magical world, an extremely shy and hesitant little girl named Peaches. She watches him for a long time before he notices her. Finally he realizes that Peaches is not mocking and really wants to know “what you see / up there in that blue, blue sky.” They stare into each other’s eyes and, holding hands, they bounce up and up and up. An unusual tall format, ideal for the vertical subject matter, and Arbona’s bright, quirky postmodern illustrations make this an attractive production. Both children have pale skin; Peaches' eyes are open wide, while Trampoline Boy's appear permanently closed when they aren't obscured by his bangs, which heightens his emotional distance. While the connection between outsiders is warming, it is oblique, as wispy as the clouds they bounce through. Safety-conscious adults will suck their teeth at the trampoline, which does not have even a net around it.

Doesn’t get off the ground. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-77049-830-3

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Tundra Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
BIRD CHILD
by Nan Forler and illustrated by François Thisdale

- BOOK REVIEW
BIRD CHILD
by Nan Forler ; illustrated by François Thisdale

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IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION

From the Izzy Gizmo series

by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020

A disappointing follow-up.

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Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).

While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.

A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Peachtree

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
IZZY GIZMO
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

- BOOK REVIEW
DADDY'S SANDWICH
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes

- BOOK REVIEW
THE INVISIBLE CAT!
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad

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RUBY FINDS A WORRY

From the Big Bright Feelings series

by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...

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Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.

Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)