An easy, breezy read with just the right amount of chills.
A spooky adventure rooted in Guyanese folklore.
It’s a good thing that fourth grader Asim Macinroy loves creepy stuff, because the new island town his family has moved to—Lion’s Gate, Washington—is one weird place, from the mysterious lab where his mom and dad work to the strange lights and hovering objects at night, not to mention the monstrous-looking tree in the cemetery. Asim quickly finds himself befriended by Rokshar Kaya, who aspires to be a scientist and cultivates a far more skeptical attitude toward the supernatural than Asim. But when the tree appears to be infecting people and turning them mean, including their beloved teacher Mx. Hudson, who is nonbinary, the duo work together to come up with a solution. A promising start to a new series, this simple, fast-paced illustrated chapter book nicely blends scientific processes with folklore—Asim’s mother, who is Guyanese (his father presents White), tells Asim about Dutchman trees, said to be inhabited by human spirits. The tale is never overly frightening, and the open-endedness of the story is especially effective, leaving readers to decide what really happened and whether they are Team Asim or Team Rokshar or somewhere in between. The author’s note offers a compelling description of the folklore of the silk cotton tree that inspired the story, giving a glimpse into history and culture. Illustrations depict Rokshar as brown-skinned and Mx. Hudson as light-skinned.
An easy, breezy read with just the right amount of chills. (Fiction. 6-10)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-48887-4
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Larded with earnest purpose but unconvincing and far from likely to be the first call for attention to America’s weight...
With a message-driven tale of a plump lad who turns over a new leaf, an ex-mayor of New York and his sister clobber readers with the Board of Education.
To judge from the contemporary dress of the figures in Hoefer’s inexpert illustrations, this isn’t intended to be autobiographical despite the main character’s name—though a breezy admission in the closing lecture that the co-authors were both "chubby" children does creates a certain resonance. Round as the apple he discards from his lunch every day, young Eddie chows down on fatty foods and avoids playground games for fear of embarrassment—until a friend tells him that he’s “a little heavy and out of shape. Maybe it’s because of the way you eat.” The next day Eddie begins asking his mom for healthier breakfasts than bagels with butter and also heads for the park to jog. A “few weeks” later he’s nimble enough to chase down a runaway baby carriage, hold his own in a playground dodgeball game and even join the school’s soccer team. Despite a seemingly simple program—eat less, cut down on the cookies, exercise regularly—will Eddie’s example prompt similar sudden epiphanies in rotund readers? Fat chance.
Larded with earnest purpose but unconvincing and far from likely to be the first call for attention to America’s weight problem that children or parents will encounter. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60478-378-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Zagat
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Great for both Halloween and the start of a new school year, this is certain to provide more than a few laughs to kids who...
In this cautionary tale that combines humor and a touch of magic, good behavior is the lesson of the day when a particularly naughty class of students has a substitute teacher.
The seven-tentacled, green substitute teacher, Mr. Creacher speaks in rhyme and glares from his single eye (in front that is; he's got three in back). He regales the class with tales of children who failed to behave in school and the fates that befell them. There’s Keith, the glue-eater who stuck to all he touched, Zach, the daydreamer who accidentally ate the class pet, and Kylie, the artist, whose drawing came to life and ravaged the classroom. Then, Beauty and the Beast–like, Mr. Creacher reveals that he himself was a naughty child, put under a spell and sentenced to teach children about their wicked ways. It works—the children promise to reform, and with his debt now repaid, Mr. Creacher can return to his own childhood a changed boy. Gall’s illustrations use speech bubbles that drip with green slime and graphic-novel elements to great effect, creating artwork that pops off the pages and appears almost three-dimensional. Touches of humor take the edge off some of the more frightening scenes.
Great for both Halloween and the start of a new school year, this is certain to provide more than a few laughs to kids who have seen through Viola Swamp’s disguise. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: July 5, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-316-08915-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2011
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