Hartling's Old John (1990), set in a German milieu evoked with perfectly selected detail, exquisitely demonstrated that the verities of the human condition transcend their setting. Here, a disastrous decision has been made (presumably by the publisher): a gentle story about a ten-year-old schoolboy's friendship with a Polish refugee in his class is completely undermined by pretending that it takes place in America, though almost every incident and detail—e.g., the characters' names, a teacher's assignment, Ben's gift of flowers to Anna's mother on his first visit, even how jobs and housing are acquired—seems European, and is certainly not American. Set in Hartling's homeland (Austria), this would be a quiet but pleasingly warm-hearted story; as it stands, it's an exasperating travesty.~(Fiction. 8- 11)
Pub Date: April 29, 1991
ISBN: 0-87951-401-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Overlook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1991
Killer bees. One of those items on Nature's payroll that seems downright unfair. The African environment shaped a kind of bee with an aggressive protective instinct, conditioned to attack, en masse, threats to the hive. Some Brazilian beekeepers, wishing to invigorate their stock (the American variety of bees are relative wimps), imported the violence-prone African bees. Despite efforts to control the bees, some escaped. Multiplying rapidly, they are spreading north at a rate of about 200 miles a year. Lavies (Mangrove Wilderness, p. 559, etc.) does a yeoman's job of demystifying the killer bees, though the text can be mighty wooden at times. The good news is that these bees are not, individually, a great menace, and that simple precautions in their territory minimizes any risks. Informative, with close-up photos to interest kids. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 8-11)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-525-45243-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Playfully arranged multicolored text complements the artwork in this short but enticing introduction to Chagall’s work. Full- color reproductions highlight his best-known work from the start to the finish of his career. Each of the 13 illustrations is accompanied by an engaging biographical anecdote from a key event in Chagall’s life that will spark interest in him as an individual as well as an artist. The book’s creative design makes this highly appropriate for use in art-appreciation lessons at the elementary level. (Biography. 8-11)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1999
ISBN: 3-7913-1986-8
Page Count: 30
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1998
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