The wolfish pictures are charmingly done, and the basic plot is sure to appeal, but the underpinning metaphor (regardless of...
An energetic young werewolf delights in his speed and strength in this British import.
Oliver, depicted as a child with brown skin and tightly curled black hair, is at the bus stop when suddenly all of his friends flee. He doesn’t understand why the bus won’t stop for him nor why a man shouts, “Help! A werewolf!” when approached—until a glimpse of his reflection reveals his transformation. Oliver’s excited to run, jump, and howl, but his glee is short-lived, quickly turning to anxiety: If friends run away terrified, how will his parents react? Happily, Oliver comes from a family of werewolves—his parents are unperturbed, and they’re all human again at sunrise. Some readers may appreciate seeing this black child revel in supernatural abilities. However, the story also shows Oliver denied service on public transportation and treated as a menace on the street before he realizes he’s a werewolf, which is serious, even distressing in an American context. Emotive illustrations, lupine jokes galore, and a vigorous story are balanced against troubling possible interpretations.
The wolfish pictures are charmingly done, and the basic plot is sure to appeal, but the underpinning metaphor (regardless of intent) makes it difficult to recommend this title without reservations . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 26, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-25433-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
A sweet Runaway Bunny book for the pirate set.
While reading a book about pirates, Danny considers sailing away with them. But what if he wants to come home?
As he reads with his mom, little Danny wonders aloud what it would be like to be a pirate. From the comfort of his couch, his questions persist. “What if I don’t like it on the pirate ship? And I want to come back home?” With steadfast love, his mother answers every “What if…?” with confident answers that reassure the young boy. Danny considers many logical barriers to his rescue, including the dangers of the ocean and the possibility that the friendly pirates may want to keep him. His mother’s answers, however, involve the magical element of a bottle filled with "magic spray." She metaphorically shrinks the problems with a few pumps of a handle. These "Alice in Wonderland" solutions seem unjustified given Danny’s reasonable questions. Luckily, the colorful full-spread illustrations simplify the nonsense and provide a mood of happy security throughout the story. Fortenberry’s playful illustrations freely borrow from cartoon conventions; the adorable Danny expresses no doubts about his security through two little dots for eyes.
A sweet Runaway Bunny book for the pirate set. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2321-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
First of a tasty if not immediately nourishing new series.
When Dr. Bunsen, Gabe, Laura, and Cesar's mad-scientist neighbor, tries out his growth machine on Gabe's plastic animal toys, there's an unexpected result—they come to life.
Second-grade whiz kids Gabriel Martinez, Laura Reyes, and Cesar Moreno meet their strange neighbor while fundraising for a science-club field trip. Known to their classmates as “the Data Set,” they each have individual passions: Gabe loves animals; Laura loves to tinker and invent; Cesar loves to read and eat. There’s room for all these activities in their well-equipped treehouse. Together, their fantastic adventures will be the stuff of four titles scheduled for 2016 and aimed directly at first- and second-graders already devouring books. This episode introduces the characters, sets up the problem (the cute but rapidly growing baby animals), and finds a solution (sneak them into the zoo) in 126 fast-paced pages written with plenty of dialogue and copiously illustrated with appealing drawings. With these Latino protagonists—Cesar has dark skin and curly hair, while Laura and Gabe have lighter skin and straight hair—and a STEM-infused plot, this would seem to have been made to order for today’s elementary school students. While the emphasis is far more on plot than STEM, the kid-friendly fantasy should captivate readers, who will certainly want to gobble up the next installment. (Tantalizingly, the opening pages are included.)
First of a tasty if not immediately nourishing new series. (Adventure. 5-8)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5729-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
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