An enjoyable twist on the timeless Chinese zodiac tale.
Rat and the 11 other animals in the Chinese zodiac embark on a quest to find Cat and apologize.
In the ancient Chinese tale of the Great Race, Cat did not win a spot in the zodiac because Rat pushed her into the river right before the finish line. Now, Rat is feeling guilty. He enlists the other animals in the zodiac to “find the one they left behind.” At Rat’s suggestion, the charmingly illustrated animals agree to travel together to the edge of the kingdom, where Cat lives. It’s a colorful and daring adventure, making dynamic use of perspective, and along the way, each animal uses their special skill to help the others…while getting left behind themselves. As their number dwindles (in the opposite order of the zodiac), Rat and Ox alone reach the base of the cliff where Cat lives. Rat leaps up without Ox to present himself as the only animal to seek Cat out. But perhaps a rat visiting a cat alone isn’t the best plan after all….Ho and Langrand have created a whimsical sequel to the Chinese folktale, and while the premise and artwork are appealing, some elements of the story are confusing. Was it Rat’s plan all along to leave the others behind? Is Cat’s licking her chops as foreboding as it looks? Still, readers will enjoy the journey even if the ending raises some questions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An enjoyable twist on the timeless Chinese zodiac tale. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-297682-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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