by R.L. Stine ; illustrated by Marc Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 29, 2017
Readers should indeed heed Stine’s repeated refrain and “Beware of Mary McScary!” (Picture book. 3-7)
Mary McScary takes her name very seriously, but will she manage to scare her unscarable cousin Harry?
The cover illustration embodies Mary’s personality: flaming red hair in braided pigtails, an obviously unique sense of style, and quirked mouth and slanted eyebrows signaling her determination. Even the white girl’s stance speaks volumes: arms flung out to open a set of double doors, legs widely spaced. The thought of tangling with Mary might bring to adult readers’ minds the boy from O. Henry’s “Ransom of Red Chief.” Indeed, Mary lives to scare, and she practices her art on her family members and pets at every opportunity. But she has yet to scare Harry, who has come for a visit. Will her hairiest monster costume work? A gorilla or jarful of spiders? What about snakes or a hippo? All fail. But just when Harry believes Mary’s pronouncement that she’s quit, she turns to him to admit defeat and puckers up. That sends him running away screaming! Brown’s illustrations just may be the bane of parents everywhere, as they are a trove of ideas for mischief-making young readers. Mary’s cat is especially expressive, and adults will chuckle at some of the artwork on the wall.
Readers should indeed heed Stine’s repeated refrain and “Beware of Mary McScary!” (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-338-03856-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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by R.L. Stine ; illustrated by David SanAngelo
by Laurie Berkner ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2017
For Berkner’s fans; there are much better books about children visiting imaginative lands.
Berkner’s children’s song gets the picture-book treatment with illustrations from Garoche.
What kid hasn’t made a massive pillow fort and imagined all sorts of adventures? Well, Berkner’s premise is that there is a land where everything is made of pillows, and three lucky children get to visit there. (They appear to be siblings, perhaps a blended family: Mom and one girl are black; Dad, one boy, and one girl are white.) The illustrations transition between depictions of obvious imaginative play in a bedroom to a fantasy world and back again at the end, when the parents peek in at the three asleep. Garoche’s art consists of photos of papercut artwork arranged in dioramas with some Photoshop details. Reminiscent of Michael Garland’s work (though more pastel in color) or that of Elly McKay (though less ethereal), the illustrations are a mixed bag, with layers and hard edges juxtaposed against all the pillows. The king and queen of the song are obviously stand-ins for the parents. Children who know the tune may not sit still for a reading, while those who don’t may wonder at the repeated refrain.
For Berkner’s fans; there are much better books about children visiting imaginative lands. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6467-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
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by Laurie Berkner ; illustrated by Ben Clanton
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by Laurie Berkner & illustrated by Henry Cole
by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Axel Scheffler ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1999
The action of this rhymed and humorous tale centers upon a mouse who "took a stroll/through the deep dark wood./A fox saw the mouse/and the mouse looked good." The mouse escapes being eaten by telling the fox that he is on his way to meet his friend the gruffalo (a monster of his imagination), whose favorite food is roasted fox. The fox beats a hasty retreat. Similar escapes are in store for an owl and a snake; both hightail it when they learn the particulars: tusks, claws, terrible jaws, eyes orange, tongue black, purple prickles on its back. When the gruffalo suddenly materializes out of the mouse's head and into the forest, the mouse has to think quick, declaring himself inedible as the "scariest creature in the deep dark wood," and inviting the gruffalo to follow him to witness the effect he has on the other creatures. When the gruffalo hears that the mouse's favorite food is gruffalo crumble, he runs away. It's a fairly innocuous tale, with twists that aren't sharp enough and treachery that has no punch. Scheffler's funny scenes prevent the suspense from culminating; all his creatures, predator and prey, are downright lovable. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: June 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8037-2386-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1999
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