The movies were better.
The toque-topped star of a series of online miniepisodes makes the shift to print with a culinary conundrum.
Billed as “the world’s tiniest cooking show,” the original stop-motion featurettes are set in an elaborately laid-out hollow tree-stump kitchen furnished with miniature cookware and bric-a-brac—all on display here in a set of digitally tweaked photos that effectively steal the show from both the rudimentary storyline and its felted green protagonist. Tiny Chef, who writes and speaks in language resembling baby talk with a speech impediment, is all set to make “Blegaful Mie” (vegetable pie)…but his prized “weshipee blook” has gone missing amid the clutter! Following a fruitless search and a bit of calming meditation, he gathers sprigs of fresh herbs and veggies, chops them all on the countertop, and just before finally dishing up an improvised “Blegaful Shew” (stew), finds his blook. “The Chef can’t believe it! / His little heart bursts. / It was there all along— / Did you see it first?” (Of course you did.) Replete with extra syllables and switches in rhyme scheme, the overworked narrative concludes with the nutritious observation that “the very best recipes… / come straight from the heart” and a full recipe for that likewise nutritious “Shew.” (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 70% of actual size.)
The movies were better. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-11505-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
Young readers will be happy to make Azaleah’s acquaintance.
When her baby sister, Tiana, realizes her favorite stuffed frog, Greenie, is missing, Azaleah promises to help her find him—but will she have enough time to help Tiana and complete her school project?
Third grader Azaleah Lane is anxious to get home and start her diorama of Nikita the tiger after a visit to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. However, before she can get started, she must help Tiana find Greenie. Oldest sister Nia is of little help, as she’s busy preparing to play Dorothy in her middle school production of The Wiz. In order to complete her diorama and help Tiana solve the mystery of Greenie’s disappearance, Azaleah must prioritize her tasks and pay attention to the clues around her. This inaugural book in the Azaleah Lane series is a fast-paced and fun read, and Azaleah is a sympathetic, likable narrator who, like readers, is learning new vocabulary all the time. She thinks aloud as she works to solve the mystery, occasionally (and realistically) losing patience with the sobbing Tiana. Lobo’s playful, full-color illustrations every few pages are just enough to give transitioning readers needed rests so they’ll keep going; they depict Azaleah and her family as black. The backmatter includes a glossary of vocabulary words, book-discussion and writing prompts, and instructions for making a diorama.
Young readers will be happy to make Azaleah’s acquaintance. (Mystery. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5158-4464-8
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The series continues to be noteworthy
Emma, the plucky investigative journalist–to-be, is back with another story to report.
Fresh off of her last mystery solved, Emma has attained her much-longed-for celebrity status at school. When strange things happen, students turn to Emma for help. She unravels each case by searching for clues and recording her findings in video news reports. Now her friends Sophia and Javier have joined her reporting team. The three of them come up with a group costume idea for the upcoming Halloween party that is sure to win the grand prize. When Sophia’s costume goes missing, Emma is on the hunt. She tracks down the costume bandit one clue at a time, learning in the process how to keep her own bias separate from her reporting. Supportive adults, age-appropriate comedy, and a gentle lesson about standing up for oneself round out the main plot. The short chapters and occasional grayscale illustrations will keep young independent readers engaged. Emma’s genuine self-confidence is refreshing. She is proud of her Latina heritage and bilingualism and joyfully refers to her curly hair as “long chocolate-pudding Slinkies.” In this installment, Siegal has toned down Emma’s drive for fame from obsession to ambition, making her all the more likable.
The series continues to be noteworthy . (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68696-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
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