Swift is a working dog, who helps Johnnie’s Pa hunt and stay safe in the woods. One day, Johnnie finally gets to join in on a bear hunt. Things quickly go awry when a bear attacks and Pa breaks his leg badly; he tells Johnnie to take Swift and get help. The boy runs off in such a panic, he nearly goes over a cliff; luckily, Swift stops him. They get lost, the bear attacks and Swift comes to help. Johnnie nearly gives up when he falls into a frozen lake. However, though Swift is injured, he’s still intent on achieving his goal. The bear attacks again and Johnnie is able to save them both. Unconscious for some time, Johnnie later learns that Swift led folks to his Pa as well as rescuing Johnnie. While the story (based on tales learned while the author was staying with homesteaders in Alaska) is interesting and will appeal to youngsters looking for an adventure, the pictures are what stand out. Blake applies the paint very thickly in the illustrations, using so much color that the paintings look almost Impressionistic, though, the human faces don’t work as well as the incredibly expressive animal faces. Swift has a most noble countenance. Blake illustrates winter scenes but manages to make the snowy landscape full of color and vibrancy. He depicts a winter landscape both ominous and beautiful. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-399-23383-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2007
The lifecycle of the frog is succinctly summarized in this easy reader for children reading at the late first-grade level. In just one or two sentences per page, Vern details the amazing metamorphosis of the frog from egg to tadpole to adult, even injecting a little humor despite the tight word count. (“Watch out fly! Mmmm!) Large, full-color photographs on white backgrounds clearly illustrate each phase of development. Without any mention of laying eggs or fertilization, the title might be a bit misleading, but the development from black dot egg to full-grown frog is fascinating. A simple chart of the three main lifecycle steps is also included. Lifecycles are part of the standard curriculum in the early elementary grades, and this will be a welcome addition to school and public libraries, both for its informational value and as an easy reader. (Nonfiction/easy reader. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-216304-2
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)
The town of Sunnyview got a little bit safer when 8-year-old Eugene McGillicudy moved in.
Just like his comic-book mentor, Super Dude, Eugene, aka Captain Awesome, is on a one-man mission is to save the world from supervillains, like the nefarious “Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby.” Just as Eugene suspected, plenty of new supervillains await him at Sunnyview Elementary. Are Meredith Mooney and the mind-reading Ms. Beasley secretly working together to try and force Eugene to reveal his secret identity? Will Principal Brick Foot succeed in throwing Captain Awesome into the “Dungeon of Detention?” Fortunately, Eugene isn’t forced to go it alone. Charlie Thomas Jones, fellow comic-book lover and Super Dude fan, stands ready and willing to help. When the class hamster goes missing, Captain Awesome must don his cape and, with the help of his new best friend, ride to the rescue. Kirby’s funny and engaging third-person narration and O’Connor’s hilarious illustrations make the book easily accessible and enormously appealing, particularly to readers who have recently graduated to chapter books. But it is the quirky, mischievous Eugene that really makes this book special. His energy and humor are contagious, and his dogged commitment to his superhero alter ego is enough to make anyone a believer.
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4090-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
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