A rather lackluster story about the bottomless pit that is one boy’s stomach, gains some momentum from Martchenko’s (Makeup Mess, not reviewed, etc.) hoppin’ watercolors. Samuel woke up hungry, really hungry. He has already made significant headway through his pillow, while he was asleep. His mother plies him with cereal and stacks of pancakes and more pancakes and more cereal and a roasted chicken. But Samuel’s demand for seven roasted chickens pulls her up short. No more food until lunchtime, she declares. Samuel heads for the backyard to gnash and wail and cry starvation until his brother alerts him to a pie-eating contest at the park. (Martchenko does a nice job of calling up what looks like Vancouver, British Columbia.) Hardly surprising, Samuel eats a lumberjack, a fireman, and a construction worker under the table, before returning home to a pie his mother had made for his lunch, whereupon, also unsurprisingly, Samuel gets a little green around the gills and slumps to the floor. Enter his younger brother, ready to take on all comers. No twist is tendered to give this old tale some new tension, so the story serves only as Muzak to Martchenko’s sight gags, burly chowhounds, and a boy whose stomach was always bigger than his eyes. (Picture book 3-6)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-439-18773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2002
Through quick thinking and personal sacrifice, a wise old Japanese farmer saves the people of his village from a devastating tsunami in this simple yet striking story based on Lafcadio Hearn’s “A Living God.” Ojiisan lives in a cottage on a mountain overlooking the village and sea. One day, villagers gather to celebrate the rice harvest, but Ojiisan stays home thinking “something does not feel right.” When the earth quakes and the sea darkens and runs away from the land, Ojiisan realizes a tsunami approaches. Fearing the oblivious villagers will be swept away, Ojiisan torches his rice fields to attract attention, and they respond, barely escaping the monster wave. Rendered in gouache, pastel and collage, Young’s illustrations cleverly combine natural textures, bold colors and abstract shapes to convey compelling images of chaos and disaster as the rice fields burn and the wave rushes in. In one literally breathtaking double-page spread, an enormous wall of water engulfs the teeny seacoast village. A visually powerful and dramatic tribute to one man’s willingness to sacrifice everything for others. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25006-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
Spencer owns a multitude of toys: old toys and new ones, big toys and small ones, bath toys, wooden toys, board games, computer games, miniature cars and trucks, musical instruments, stuffed animals and action figures. They are everywhere, including on the floor where his parents can trip on them. One day, Spencer’s mom has had enough and announces that some of the toys have to go. Shaken, Spencer cries, “BUT I LOVE THEM ALL!” There’s no stopping Spencer’s mom, however, who says she will help and proves to be a worthy adversary when Spencer attempts to make deals. Snappy dialogue and an absolutely on-target understanding of the psyches of both mother and child make the negotiation scene absolutely priceless. Will they both make it through the harrowing task before them? The elaborate, child-friendly pictures perfectly capture Spencer’s world, zeroing in on the chaos with glee and then pulling back to demonstrate graphically the traumas suffered by both adults and child in the process. Shannon’s sardonic wit will strike a chord with parents and children alike. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-439-49029-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
