Not since The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (1971) has there been such an affecting and satisfying story about the death of...
A little boy’s pet mouse dies, and he and his family cope, in this gently done true-life tale by a team that has such an elegant grasp of the workings of the minds and hearts of children.
A little boy fiercely denies that his pet mouse is dead, despite his father’s remonstrations, and then he gets mad at Mousie, and finally sad. The boy and his parents put Mousie in a box with some of his favorite things—carrots, a piece of jam toast, and a toy or two—and make a headstone for him out of driftwood. Readers can hear the boy working things out for himself, that Mousie won’t ever come back, that grief and longing are what he feels. And in the last frame, where he plays with Mousie’s wheel and a toy mouse while wearing his mouse slippers, he thinks about getting another mouse—“But not just yet.” Ormerod makes her images from a close-up, child-high perspective, with a fresh, clean palette: her headshot of the child bawling wildly at the realization of the truth of Mousie’s demise is touching and tender, as is the gentle comfort of his father.
Not since The Tenth Good Thing About Barney (1971) has there been such an affecting and satisfying story about the death of a pet. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 978-0-689-87134-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2001
PERSPECTIVES
Even if the worst thing this book prevents is an unwanted noogie, it is still doing a service.
Miles may be 6, but he’s in charge of his body anyway, isn’t he?
In this montage of simple, cartoony characters set against photographic backgrounds, readers are introduced to Miles, who is about to celebrate his sixth birthday with his family and desperately looks forward to his favorite: “double-meaty-pepperoni-sausage-pineapple-hold-the-onions-extra-cheesy birthday pizza!” But before the pizza man arrives, Grandpa has to give Miles’ cheek a pinch, and brother Scotty bestows a serious noogie, and Aunt Millie sends a suffocating hug (via Miles’ mom), and Dad lifts him off the floor (“ Dad, please put me down!”). Then a guy in a chicken suit arrives to tickle Miles. Miles blows his stack before retreating to his room for some time alone. Mom knocks. “Am I in trouble?” asks Miles. “No,” says his mom. “We’re here to tell you how proud we are of you.” Dad pipes in: “No one should ever touch you in ways you don’t want to be touched.” Though the story is ham-fisted to the point of being a pork shoulder with the bone in, and though neither the artwork nor the text will last, the point probably will sink in. As the endnote states, “Roughly 90% of the harm done to children is not by a stranger, but by someone they know.”
Even if the worst thing this book prevents is an unwanted noogie, it is still doing a service. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9894071-3-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: The Mother Company
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
“Are you a ladybug? If you are, your parents look like this, and they eat aphids.” So begins a charming little book from the Backyard Books series (Are You a Snail?, not reviewed) that documents the amazing life cycle of the common ladybug. Throughout, Humphries engages the viewer's imagination with clear, close-up illustrations, done in soft watercolors, of beetles from egg to adult. The text invites the listener to be part of the story, growing inside an egg, hatching as a strange larva, resting in the hard, shell-like pupa, and finally emerging complete with wings, spots, and a bright red coat. “Congratulations, you're a ladybug.” With tongue in cheek, the author explains that if your parents look like humans, you are not a ladybug, “You are a human child.” And advises, “Your skin will not split as you grow. You can't fly. It is very unlikely that you are red with black dots.” The author concludes with facts about ladybugs; for example, “a ladybug can eat about 70 aphids a day.” The titles in this series have shiny board covers, glossy paper, a modest price, small size and a great deal of appeal. For reading aloud or reading alone, preschool and early childhood children will find these young information books delightful. (Nonfiction. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7534-5241-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kingfisher
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2000
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