Ultimately, de Haas misses a great story—a boy with his own submarine!—while the story he does tell about a seal sinks.
Peter and Leo’s second adventure requires several suspensions of belief that most readers will be incapable of managing.
The hot summer day leads Peter’s grandmother to suggest boating as a way to cool off. But Peter is no ordinary boy with a canoe or sailboat… he has a submarine. Sadly, his adventure ends when distraction leads him to ground the sub on a sandbank. His stash of food, lemonade and a sleeping bag see the boy and his dog through the evening, but Leo’s growling at sounds in the dark becomes unnerving for even the plucky boy, so they close the hatch to sleep and await the morning’s high tide. But they cannot ignore it when the submarine tips over. Venturing out, they find the titular baby seal, which they take in. When they arrive back at the lighthouse in the morning, the three meet Grandma and the mama seal on the jetty, a police vehicle behind them. Strangely, the story ends there. If this had been an imaginary submarine trip, the lack of consequences would be understandable. But as written, Grandma comes off as irresponsible, while Peter is just a little too relaxed through the ordeal to be believable. The watercolor artwork lacks the humor found in de Haas’ previous work, and the dark nighttime scenes make it difficult to read the black text superimposed on it.
Ultimately, de Haas misses a great story—a boy with his own submarine!—while the story he does tell about a seal sinks. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4061-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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