by Paul Goble ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1988
Another well-documented indian story from the illustrator of The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses (Caldecott Medal, 1979). Goble explains that there are many comic stories about Iktomi, who is clever enough to make mischief but also stupid enough to be fooled—as well as being an incurable liar: "we can see ourselves in him." Here, Iktomi discards his blanket on a hot day, unctuously giving it to a boulder to keep the sun off; when the weather changes, he takes the blanket back—and the boulder revenges itself by chasing and capturing him. Lured by Iktomi's lies, bats fly at the boulder in a rage, breaking it up and freeing the trickster. There is extra dialogue, printed adjacent to the illustrations, that Goble recommends be skipped when using the story with a group; italicized interpolations ("He wasn't really generous at all, was he?") are traditional, designed to invite audience participation—like hissing a melodrama's villain. An amusing addition to Native American folklore collections, illustrated in Goble's usual colorful, clean style.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1988
ISBN: 0531057607
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Orchard/Watts
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1988
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by Barney Saltzberg ; illustrated by Barney Saltzberg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 23, 2010
A festive invitation to creative liberation.
A pleasingly tactile exploration of the possibilities inherent in mistakes.
"A torn piece of paper... / is just the beginning!" Spills, folded paper, drips of paint, smudges and smears—they "all can make magic appear." An increasingly complex series of scenarios celebrates random accidents, encouraging artistic experimentation rather than discouragement. The folded-over paper can be a penguin's head; a torn piece of newsprint can turn into a smiling dog with a little application of paint; a hot-chocolate stain can become a bog for a frog. Thanks to a telescoping pop-up, a hole is filled with nearly limitless possibilities. The interactive elements work beautifully with the photo-collaged "mistakes," never overwhelming the intent with showiness. Saltzberg's trademark cartoon animals provide a sweetly childlike counterpoint to the artful scribbles and smears of gloppy paint.
A festive invitation to creative liberation. (Pop-up. 4-12)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7611-5728-1
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2010
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by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Mark Siegel ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020
A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist.
This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends.
A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on “Step 1 / Search for an Idea— / a shiny one.” During a walk to the library, various ideas float in colorful thought bubbles, with exclamation points: “playing soccer! / dogs!” Inside the library, less-distinct ideas, expressed as shapes and pictures, with question marks, float about as the writer collects ideas to choose from. The young writer must then choose a setting, a main character, and a problem for that protagonist. Plotting, writing with detail, and revising are described in child-friendly terms and shown visually, in the form of lists and notes on faux pieces of paper. Finally, the writer sits in the same field, in a new season, sharing the story with friends. The illustrations feature the child’s writing and drawing as well as images of imagined events from the book in progress bursting off the page. The child’s main character is an adventurous mermaid who looks just like the child, complete with afro-puff pigtails, representing an affirming message about writing oneself into the world. The child’s family, depicted as black, moves in the background of the setting, which is also populated by a multiracial cast.
A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-5666-8
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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