Toby’s actual family and friends will certainly appreciate this remembrance, but young readers with beloved canines of their...
A happy dog tells the story of his life in this debut children’s book, illustrated with photographs of the star.
Toby, 12, is a friendly, joyful yellow Labrador retriever who lives with a family consisting of a mother, father, two boys, and a girl. He’s also close to the children’s grandmother, who, Toby says, has agreed to write down his stories. Toby is an intelligent animal who understands several words, like “Grandma,” “dinner,” and “walk.” But the most important thing to Toby is food: “I love to eat and I can never get enough!!!” he says, with typical doggy enthusiasm. Sometimes this passion gets Toby in trouble. He adores counter surfing, so food must be kept out of his reach. In addition, carrying too much weight is hard for the aging Toby, who’s developed arthritis and has had leg surgery. But he sees the vet regularly and gets medications. Toby does report several times that he’s getting better about not eating people food; he wants to be a good dog. Besides his family and meals, Toby also likes wandering around his nice big house and yard, which has plenty of room to run and play with his toys; romping in the snow; going for walks and hikes, especially with Grandma; people-watching and enjoying the sights, like Christmas lights; and cavorting with other canines. In her book, Cutler paints a vivid portrait of a cherished family dog who’s sometimes naughty but mostly a very good boy. The writing, however, is unpolished, with the feel of something transcribed from a recording. The text skips around from subject to subject and back and forth through Toby’s timeline in no particular order, and the stories are slight. It’s a simple book about a simple dog—yet even so, it has the charm of its affable, cheerful narrator. The many family photographs are very helpful in rounding out the tale and giving a clear sense of Toby and his surroundings.
Toby’s actual family and friends will certainly appreciate this remembrance, but young readers with beloved canines of their own may enjoy it as well.Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-974360-63-5
Page Count: 34
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom.
Holy bedtime, Batman!
In a sleepy-looking neighborhood under a dusky cerulean sky, a young, brown-haired, white boy goes through the motions of getting ready for bed: he brushes his teeth, takes a bath, picks up his toys, and feeds his fish. In a parallel visual narrative, beckoned by the cat's-eye–yellow bat-signal, Batman keeps Gotham safe for another night by catching crooks, locking them away, and avenging those who have been wronged. Though the two characters are quite different, through a carefully flexible narrative, Dahl and Beavers weave a convincing tale of just how similar they might be. “It’s time to take care of business” describes the child’s trip to the potty and Batman’s dive down a manhole equally well, for instance. Beavers' art is visually striking and vibrantly hued, perfect for keeping young eyes glued to each page. Dahl's economical text is cadenced with a gentle lilt, just right for a bedtime read-aloud. Young fans of the caped crusader will delight in spying their favorite characters. In the already-overstuffed bedtime-book market, this is certainly a niche read, but it hits its mark well, delivering fun without darkness. A “bedtime checklist” at the end aptly includes “story time.”
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62370-732-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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