A neighborhood celebrates America’s birthday by sharing its ethnic dishes in this latest of the Everybody series (Everybody Serves Soup, 2000, etc.). When Carrie hatches the idea of a block party for the Fourth of July, she has no idea of the work it will involve. On the day of the party, she clutches her list as she crosses off each item: tables and chairs, tablecloths, ice cream, and most important, the food her neighbors have made. Fortunately for Carrie, all the dishes contain her favorite—noodles. While the countries of origin are not always mentioned in the storyline, pesto, yellow sesame noodles, Greek orzo salad, macaroni salad, Vietnamese spring rolls with peanut sauce, zaru soba, and kugel are the featured specialties. As Carrie moves through the neighborhood, readers can see through her interactions that the young girl is instrumental in bringing the community together. In fact, though she is disappointed not to be taking part in the talent show, she is pleasantly surprised when she is recognized in this capacity by the organizer of the talent show. Dooley’s work is a combination of a celebration of the diversity that makes America unique, and a recipe book. Thornton’s illustrations are filled with color and life, and feature the people and places found in his own hometown. Add it to the menu. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-87614-455-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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