An origin tale as messy as humans can be.
In this multicultural mashup, the duo behind Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella (2007) weaves a wonderfully chaotic creation story.
It all begins with darkness. Fleischman’s retelling then slips through bits and pieces of creation tales culled from cultures originating in Egypt, Mali, the Banks Islands, Israel, and many other geographical locations. Commonalities and unifying themes among the disparate stories soon arise. These threads depend on the details: the first humans born from the tears of the sun god, Ra (Egypt), Quat making the first humans out of wood and bringing them to life with the beat of a drum (Banks Islands), and so on. Woven together, the tales both contrast against and emphasize one another’s specificities. Much of the cohesiveness is due to Paschkis’ folk-art illustrations, which once again shine. Bold lines and vibrant colors characterize most spreads; curves, sharp diagonal lines, and other striking shapes coalesce as each scene spills into the next. One particular double-page spread depicting human-caused destruction (Mozambique) and an angry God setting fire to the earth (Gabon) embodies this pictorial unity to an electrifying degree. Yet the narrative stumbles a bit under its weight. Certain scenes flow better together, while others pull attention in different directions. Still, this wide canvas amazes.
An origin tale as messy as humans can be. (author’s note) (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62779-101-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.
In Weaver’s charming picture book, a dog reassesses his not-so-glowing review of little kids.
“Families are OVERRATED!” as far as the bluish-gray hound named Dog is concerned. While he approves of the adults in the household, the four small children are for the birds. In an attempt to resolve his conflicted feelings, Dog pours his heart out to a therapist scribbling on a notepad. Dog lists his grievances via couplet rhymes: “And many times I’ve found their dirty toys INSIDE MY BOWL! / It’s obvious these little humans have no SELF-CONTROL!” With key words highlighted in colorful and bolded fonts for more emphasis, his voice now has added urgency. Soylu’s lively drawings in muted tones are wondrously effective in animating Dog; his hanging jowls, big eyes, and floppy ears all convey believably beleaguered expressions. Lifelike details enhance the dramatic effect of the children’s boisterous antics. At the end, Weaver provides a list of do’s and don’ts for interacting with pets. Dog lovers can identify the dog breed silhouettes on the endpapers. Kids will get a kick out of Dog’s opinion of humans and perhaps recognize some behaviors to reconsider.
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781736267370
Page Count: 40
Publisher: A Little Offbeat Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
