A cozy and whimsical elf tale for independent readers.
A child discovers the secret behind missing socks—and the fun of wearing a mismatched pair—in this debut picture book.
Elves hunt through houses at night, stealing single socks. But one morning, when most of the elves have disappeared, a white boy named Timmy spies something in his closet. There, he sees “A BIG BATCH OF LOST SOCKS THAT NO ONE COULD FIND!” and the elf who stole them. Though Timmy tries to share the sock news, he soon realizes that the adults aren’t interested and he has a distraught elf to handle. After Timmy offers to bring the elf tea and cherry pie, the thief becomes less worried. And when Timmy struggles to find a matching sock so he can attend church, the elf helps him realize that a mismatched pair is just fine. This silly tale doesn’t have much in the way of conflict—the friendship between child and elf is the focus instead. The ability of both to listen to the other and to shift their perspectives should appeal to independent readers, especially when presented in the consistent, accessible rhymes that McSweeney and Middleton have created. L’Ecuyer’s soft cartoon illustrations have a Disney-like flair, and Timmy’s orange-red hair stands out in the largely pastel images. Although the label on Timmy’s closet reading “lil’ Man Cave” feels unnecessary, the pictures overall suit the story’s tone and texture. A nod to the Down syndrome community’s mismatched sock banner is a nice touch.
A cozy and whimsical elf tale for independent readers.Pub Date: June 26, 2023
ISBN: 978-1039176102
Page Count: 40
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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