The enticing cover is a perfect example of an effective, visual page turn, as a black-and-white cat carrying a brown case pussyfoots toward the right edge. Open the book, and a beautiful, wordless narrative begins on the endpapers. The cat opens the wooden box, which is filled with paints and brushes, and starts to paint over the dreary, desolate space littered with tin cans and broken bottles where he lives. Each spread adds a helpful creature that also plies a paintbrush and adds details to the picture: a cardinal, rabbit, squirrel, turtle and even a mouse. The final scene is a lush, lovely pond under a cloud-studded blue sky with some beautiful red roses for the cat to smell. Preschoolers will grin with delight as each page turn reveals something new in the evolving panorama. Accomplished with panache, a warm palette and quiet drama, the subtle message and charm of this wordless transformation make it a perfect companion to Leo Lionni’s Frederick. This cat? Way cool! (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59643-429-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2009
Clifford the Big Red Dog's feline evil twin confronts his worst nightmare: Valentine's Day. Anxious to avoid even the barest hint of propriety, His Rottenness counters the halo, wings, and little bow Sarah bestows upon him by smearing himself with garbage, squashing a stink bug in his valentine, breaking all the candy hearts at a party, and grossing out the host, Petunia, by rubbing dog food on his lips. Sarah, blindly adoring as ever, takes him home for a bath and a hug. Rubel's boldly colored and crisply drawn figures, in domestic scenes scattered with toys and memorabilia, reflect the story's in-your-face directness with wide gestures and unsubtle expressions. It's Ralph's eighth episode—and as Sarah's unrelenting forgiveness grows increasingly incomprehensible, the formula is starting to wear thin. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-395-73978-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Selby (Beach Bunny, 1996) offers another affectionate and accurate portrayal of the bond between parents and preschoolers. Sam's front tooth is loose; according to his mother, Sam is growing and ``bigger bunnies need bigger teeth.'' If he wiggles and jiggles the tooth, she says, it will fall out and he can leave it under his pillow for the Seed Bunny, who will take it and leave a package of carrot seeds for Sam to plant and nurture while his tooth grows in. Sam hopes to sneak a peek at the Seed Bunny, but he works so hard to get his tooth out that he sleeps right through the visit. That doesn't stop readers from getting a glimpse. Sam is an endearing character who thinks and acts like a typical five-year-old. His mother hovers fondly and manages to stay one step ahead of him. Selby chooses a cheerful palette and winsome shapes resembling torn-paper collage to capture all the action—a scene of Sam riding a bike over a bumpy road is enough to set readers' teeth rattling, too. An ebullient take on an important rite of passage. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-15-201397-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1997
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
