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THE EGGBEES

Name: THE EGGBEES
Author: Olivia Echeverria-Bis
ISBN: 978-1-55885-529-8

A STORY ABOUT FAMILY

by Olivia Echeverria-Bis & illustrated by Charmaine Echeverria Gyorkos ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2009

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On a distant but somehow familiar planet the family EGGerson welcome the MEGGañas, relatives from MEGGxico, for a visit. Young EGGelbert is initially surprised that their shells are “a beautiful brown color, not white like his”—EGGelbert and his clan are actually more of a sallow gray—but after collective playtimes, visits to the MusEGGseum and elsewhere, an introduction to the family dEEG [sic], and shared meals (“Can you think of any more round MEGGxican foods?” a sudden authorial voice enquires), all agree that “An EGGbee by any other name or color is sill [sic] an EGGbee!” Echeverria Gyorkos illustrates her sister’s bland and sketchy episode with appropriately unsophisticated scenes featuring digitally generated eggs with big-eyed human faces floating over generic, click-and-fill backgrounds. The theme’s worthy enough, but the one-note wordplay and amateurish pictures make it unlikely that children will bEGG for more than a brief EGGsposure. (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: May 31, 2009

ISBN: 978-1-55885-529-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2009

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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BERRY MAGIC

by Teri Sloat & Betty Huffman & illustrated by Teri Sloat ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2004

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Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)

Pub Date: June 1, 2004

ISBN: 0-88240-575-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
ZIP! ZOOM! ON A BROOM
by Teri Sloat ; illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet

- BOOK REVIEW
PABLO IN THE SNOW
by Teri Sloat ; illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet

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THERE WAS AN OLD MAN WHO PAINTED THE SKY
by Teri Sloat and illustrated by Stefano Vitale

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RAPUNZEL

adapted by Rachel Isadora & illustrated by Rachel Isadora ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2008

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Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your dreads! Isadora once again plies her hand using colorful, textured collages to depict her fourth fairy tale relocated to Africa. The narrative follows the basic story line: Taken by an evil sorceress at birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower; Rapunzel and the prince “get married” in the tower and she gets pregnant. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and tricks the prince, who throws himself from the tower and is blinded by thorns. The terse ending states: “The prince led Rapunzel and their twins to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived happily every after.” Facial features, clothing, dreadlocks, vultures and the prince riding a zebra convey a generic African setting, but at times, the mixture of patterns and textures obfuscates the scenes. The textile and grain characteristic of the hewn art lacks the elegant romance of Zelinksy’s Caldecott version. Not a first purchase, but useful in comparing renditions to incorporate a multicultural aspect. (Picture book/fairy tale. 6-8)