by Philippe Dupasquier & illustrated by Philippe Dupasquier ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2005
Dupasquier invites readers to battle boredom by taking a good look around. Having wearied of computer games, soccer and toy racecars, four footloose lads take up a new young neighbor’s invitation to play “the colour game.” This involves lying down on her townhouse’s roof, and looking at the sky. Skeptical at first, the children are soon experiencing an epiphany, getting so lost in noticing the many shades of blue in the shimmering sky that they are filled up with the color, and completely lose track of time. The illustrations themselves seem to shimmer, as collages constructed from cut-out-paper cartoon figures give way to frame-filling abstract compositions in blue and purple hues, complemented by undulating lines of various-sized text in an informal font. Here’s a game worth playing—for everyone, not just budding visual artists. (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-84270-323-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Andersen/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
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by Buzz Aldrin & illustrated by Wendell Minor ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2005
In first-person voice, Aldrin highlights points from his childhood that led to his dream of being an astronaut and making the historic moon landing. Coincidental details like his mother’s maiden name, “Moon,” and his favorite movie hero, the “Lone Ranger,” suggest clues to his destiny. After West Point, he joined the Air Force because “he wanted to fly more than anything.” Minor’s usual beautiful and realistic illustrations effectively convey spatial perspectives and movement, adding depth to the narrative. However, the cover design and type layout are confusing, indicative of a biography instead of an autobiography—a brief intro could have clarified it. Aldrin’s message in an author’s note avows, “If you set your sights high, you may accomplish more than you ever dreamed.” Pair this with Don Brown’s One Giant Step for a child’s-eye view on space exploration. (Flight/space exploration chronology) (Picture book/biography. 6-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-055445-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2005
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by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Bee Willey ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2000
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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