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SNOW MOON

Name: SNOW MOON
Author: Nicholas Brunelle
ISBN: 0-670-06024-0

by Nicholas Brunelle & illustrated by Nicholas Brunelle ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2005

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That fine line separating fantasy and reality melts when an anonymous boy witnesses a magical winter event. Speaking in spare rhyme, the boy remembers a chilly winter night when feathers whirled through his bedroom window and he glimpsed the “eyes dark as chocolate and feathers cloaked in icy flakes” of a snowy white owl. The owl soars away and the boy follows through forest and field, over rocks and hills, along a bay and across a bridge to a forgotten place called Owl Ridge. Here the boy silently watches hundreds of owls “from all around the sleeping world” circle the full moon in a celestial ritual. As the owls brush the moon with their wings, snow falls. Iridescent icy blue and white illustrations trace the boy’s solitary journey through the quiet, almost surreal, winter nightscape illuminated only by the shining moon. Such visual and verbal poetry leaves readers wondering if this is all a beautiful dream or something more. An exquisite experience. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005

ISBN: 0-670-06024-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2005

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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WHERE DO FROGS COME FROM?

by Alex Vern & illustrated by Alex Vern ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2001

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The lifecycle of the frog is succinctly summarized in this easy reader for children reading at the late first-grade level. In just one or two sentences per page, Vern details the amazing metamorphosis of the frog from egg to tadpole to adult, even injecting a little humor despite the tight word count. (“Watch out fly! Mmmm!) Large, full-color photographs on white backgrounds clearly illustrate each phase of development. Without any mention of laying eggs or fertilization, the title might be a bit misleading, but the development from black dot egg to full-grown frog is fascinating. A simple chart of the three main lifecycle steps is also included. Lifecycles are part of the standard curriculum in the early elementary grades, and this will be a welcome addition to school and public libraries, both for its informational value and as an easy reader. (Nonfiction/easy reader. 5-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001

ISBN: 0-15-216304-2

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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THE BOOK HOG

by Greg Pizzoli ; illustrated by Greg Pizzoli ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2019

There’s nothing especially new here, but the good-natured celebration of books, reading, and libraries will charm fellow...

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A porcine hoarder of books learns to read—and to share.

The Book Hog’s obsession is clear from the start. Short declarative sentences describe his enthusiasm (“The Book Hog loved books”), catalog the things he likes about the printed page, and eventually reveal his embarrassing secret (“He didn’t know how to read”). While the text is straightforward, plenty of amusing visual details will entertain young listeners. A picture of the Book Hog thumbing through a book while seated on the toilet should induce some giggles. The allusive name of a local bookshop (“Wilbur’s”) as well as the covers of a variety of familiar and much-loved books (including some of the author’s own) offer plenty to pore over. And the fact that the titles become legible only after our hero learns to read is a particularly nice touch. A combination of vignettes, single-page illustrations and double-page spreads that feature Pizzoli’s characteristic style—heavy black outlines, a limited palette of mostly salmon and mint green, and simple shapes—move the plot along briskly. Librarians will appreciate the positive portrayal of Miss Olive, an elephant who welcomes the Book Hog warmly to storytime, though it’s unlikely most will be able to match her superlative level of service.

There’s nothing especially new here, but the good-natured celebration of books, reading, and libraries will charm fellow bibliophiles, and the author’s fans will enjoy making another anthropomorphic animal friend. (Picture book. 4-7)