An anniversary gift to his adopted country, Caldecott-winner Spier's pictorial representation of the aims set forth in the Constitution's preamble is a celebration of America's diversity. Four close-packed pages of text summarize the history of the document's composition and adoption; portraits of the signers and the Constitution's text appear in conclusion. But what distinguishes this oversize picture book from the many other books being published on the subject this year is Spier's dozens of vignettes, comparing past with present: blacksmith with auto mechanic, carpenter constructing a post-and-beam building with workers on modern steel girders, ballot boxes with voting machines, etc. At first it seems that the pictures will correspond one to one; but in fact the present day receives more than two thirds of the illustrations, emphasizing its greater range and complexity. Captions are few, beginning with the many agencies that help "promote the general Welfare"; though this looks like a picture book, it will serve best as a visual confirmation and elaboration of concepts already understood. Spier conveys precisely the sense of the Preamble's compact statement by his selection and arrangement of subjects, even as he conveys the essence of each subject in his deft miniatures. A book to pore over for its engaging detail or to use as an educational conversation piece.
Pub Date: Sept. 4, 1987
ISBN: 0385419031
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1987
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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
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