Delightfully smart and deliciously funny—don’t miss it.
The Dunderheads are back in another amusing caper that’s sure to please fans of their earlier exploits (The Dunderheads, 2009).
Once again, Einstein narrates with tongue-in-cheek, deadpan humor. Along with his friends, he expects the last day of school to mean that they are rid of their nemesis/teacher, the evil Miss Breakbone. Sadly, they are wrong. Children and teacher alike try out for roles as extras in a film and find themselves together again. Worse, Miss Breakbone fingers Spider as a thief when a cat burglar strikes. Einstein, of course, comes up with the perfect plan to capture the real thief, capitalizing as before on his friends’ varied interests and abilities. Unfortunately, his plan falls through, and all of the kids wind up in the poky. How they succeed in solving the crimes and turning the tables on their arch enemy, Miss Breakbone, strains credibility but entertains all the same. It's not as though credibility is the point, after all. At least half the fun comes from Roberts’ clever illustrations, created in watercolor, pen and ink. As before, each Dunderhead’s appearance reveals his or her individuality; new characters are equally clearly limned. Some sly references might go over the heads of the intended audience (don’t miss Liza as Sally Bowles in the line-up of aspiring extras), but readers of all ages will enjoy poring over the pages to find the hidden humor.
Delightfully smart and deliciously funny—don’t miss it. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4543-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
A whimsically told, timely message of inclusivity with appeal to “every bunny.”
When bunny mittens mysteriously vanish in Rabbittown, a newcomer investigates.
A pleasant place where “every bunny knew every bunny, and every bunny was friends,” Rabbittown proves less than welcoming to Mr. Beagle when he arrives and opens a corner shop. Unsure of this new dog in town, bunnies avoid Mr. Beagle’s store, leaving him bored. Then bunny mittens disappear; “soon every bunny had lost a mitt or two.” Using his “good nose for sniffing out trouble,” helpful Mr. Beagle explores Rabbittown, encountering the same scent everywhere a mitten is missing. Following the scent, Mr. Beagle notices “something fishy” about one particular bunny, leading to a surprising resolution that raises town awareness. The deceptively simple text engages in clever wordplay, including repeated use of the phrase “every bunny,” suggesting Rabbittown may be a great place for bunnies but not for others. Amusing, tiny signs scattered throughout Rabbittown cheekily reinforce the pervasive bunny theme (“Lapin Dancing,” “Sadie Hopkins Dance,” “Hip Hop Class,” “Hare Salon”). Neatly rendered in precise, thin, black outlines, the illustrations reduce buildings, animals, and objects to one-dimensional, colorful, simple patterns. Teeny rabbits, distinguished only by their size, fur color, and apparel, populate the streets and shops of Rabbittown, inviting readers to join Mr. Beagle’s thorough exploration of “every bunny” for clues to solving this charming conundrum.
A whimsically told, timely message of inclusivity with appeal to “every bunny.” (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-927917-31-2
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2020
A new chapter-book adventure series opens with a whimper.
The mystery of missing class pets: Is something nefarious afoot?
Second grader Milton Worthy feeds the class ferret, Noah, before class begins and then doesn’t close the cage securely. When Noah escapes, that’s when things get odd. Mrs. Baltman sends them out for an unscheduled early recess, and when they return, she is gone. In her place is a substitute: Milton’s mother. Mrs. Worthy doesn’t behave like a normal sub, either. She sends some students on a ferret hunt while others are ordered to seek blueprints of the school. While the class is on yet another unscheduled recess, Milton hides to spy on his mother and discovers her great secret. His mother is a helmet-wearing secret agent sent from the Society of Substitutes to thwart Noah, an evil genius who intends to teleport everyone to Evil Pet Island. A distracting overuse of ellipses and a disjointed narrative are bound to make this a challenge for readers transitioning to chapter books; milestones appear at the end of each chapter, but use of devices such as questions or comments to boost reader engagement is inconsistent. A mix of prose with speech bubbles in the cartoon illustrations may appeal to readers comfortable with comics. Diversity is conveyed primarily through the illustrations, buttressed by naming convention; Mrs. Baltman, Milton’s mother, and Milton all present White, though the class as a whole appears more diverse.
A new chapter-book adventure series opens with a whimper. (prompts) (Adventure. 7-8)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-290929-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2020
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