A charmer.
Danitra Brown is back and so is her friend Zuri.
Danitra is as feisty, loyal and adventurous as always. She clowns around and diverts attention when Zuri’s note is about to be made into a class joke. Her lunchbox is always filled with unusual and daring food combinations. When Zuri is terrified of failing math, Danitra is there with help and encouragement. Zuri’s voice is clear and loving as the narrator of the poems. Grimes is a master at selecting just the right word or twist of phrase to evoke the spirit of these two girls, while keeping the language simple and direct. The rhymes are clever and lively and fit just right. The poems flow neatly as they tell the continuing story of Danitra, an “original thinker” and a “matchless friend.” Lewis’s illustrations are spot on, capturing the girls’ idiosyncrasies and bringing them to life.
A charmer. (Picture book/poetry. 8-10)Pub Date: July 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-688-17290-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Amistad/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2005
Chagrined and astounded that unconventional Aunt Mattie is his fifth-grade substitute teacher for the remainder of the year, Simon, from No More Nice (1996), steadily develops as a character. His classmates are determined to maintain their power and reputation for pushing teachers to the limit, but Aunt Mattie profoundly changes their perspective and goals. Though the continuation from the first is smoothly done, this stands alone well. MacDonald uses a timely theme for children who typically feel unbalanced, at this age, by the realization that they are embarrassed in public by things that they are comfortable with at home. Though the message is slightly strong, it is not belabored: regardless of the apparent humiliation, children need to handle their fear of being ridiculed and confidently develop their beliefs. The plot captures immediate interest, which holds up throughout. Line drawings echo the light humor and reflect the text rather than providing additional insight. The humor is enhanced by the silly stereotyped characterizations of the one-dimensional, power-hungry vice principal and the unprincipled rival teacher. Their inane cruelty blinds them to Aunt Mattie’s and the children’s potential. Their unnecessary wickedness pushes the plot to its conclusion. Slight glimpses into the depth of various characters are seen through Simon, whose major focus is upon himself and his classmates. Leaving room for a welcome third story, this is a fast read for children who want something funny and light. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2001
ISBN: 0-374-35529-0
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Melanie Kroupa/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2001
The simple plot uses perfectly believable characterizations to discuss deceptively complex emotions and issues for those who...
A story taken from real life provides the foundation for a tale of healing through human interconnection.
Ursula is a ten-year-old girl with a big imagination and a love for her small Montana town, finding enough happy magic at home by leading her pirate crew in fanciful adventures in between helping her Pa at his stagecoach station. But when she survives a smallpox scare only to be left with a pitted face, vanity replaces her ebullient spirit and she won’t leave her room. Pa hires Ah Sam, a Chinese cook, to help feed the passengers when the stages arrive. Her “curiosity bump” is larger than her prejudice against him, and the two soon find they share a common loneliness as well as a common love of the circus. She begins once again to help in the kitchen, although she still won’t show her face outdoors. She faces a turning point, however, when a mean-spirited stage passenger harasses Ah Sam, who cannot retaliate because of state law. Ursula decides she must cheer up the now ashamed cook, realizing that they all share what Indian Tom calls “the mark” of outsiders. One kindness leads to another as Ah Sam’s circus relatives arrive to entertain the town with their special magic while Ursula is enlisted to back them up with music. Yep (Newbery Honor, Dragon’s Gate, 1994), has applied his considerable skills to embellish a true story into a moving parable of how people help each other overcome suffering.
The simple plot uses perfectly believable characterizations to discuss deceptively complex emotions and issues for those who would mine its lessons, but Ursula’s own story of healing is rewarding enough for those who read from the younger child’s point of view. (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-029325-X
Page Count: 128
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2001
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