Sweet stories to share with children while storms rage outside.
A fierce storm visits a magical farm where fairies, gnomes and mice freely mingle with a few chosen humans.
The titular lagoon only appears when conditions are just right; the Running River must flood enough to fill a basin where tall trees now grow from ground that was formerly covered by river water. After a particularly rough storm, Tiptoes Lightly and her friends Greenleaf the Sailor, Pepper Pot, Pine Cone and Jeremy Mouse journey up the swollen waters in search of this legendary spot. They’re in luck. The Lost Lagoon is there, beautiful and serene, a perfect place to camp out. Meanwhile, the humans who live in the farmhouse—Tom Nutcracker and his sister June Berry and their father Farmer John—entertain themselves with stories from a book called The Adam Tales. After the storm has passed, Tom takes a midnight ride on his pony and meets up with Greenleaf for a boat ride all the way to the moon. Luckily, his father is understanding and doesn’t punish Tom too badly for sneaking out in the middle of the night. Mythical creatures and humans alike bask in the opportunity to explore and listen to each other’s stories about how the world came to be. Down, who also provides the simple but effective illustrations throughout the book, treats his characters with just the right playful touch, encouraging readers to suspend their disbelief and engage with impossible creatures. Evoking classic creation myths, Down weaves into his narrative fantastical explanations of the first man and woman. His book also nods to Thornton Burgess with its inclusion of fables to explain things such as why slugs have no shells. Adults may regret a lack of complexity and find some of the exchanges slightly saccharine, but children will inherently realize this collection offers an antidote to the viral spread of movie-based narratives and those containing more than a hint of violence. The stories are easy enough that accomplished early readers can enjoy them independently; they are also perfect for out-loud reading sessions at bedtime.
Sweet stories to share with children while storms rage outside.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1453801963
Page Count: 130
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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