An intrepid orange cat and a larcenous magician are the protagonists of this offbeat tale. Marmalade the cat is puttering about his house when a magician mysteriously makes off with all the birds. The fearless feline follows in hot pursuit. Through a magical chant of "OM-POM PUSH!" Ertax transforms himself, blending into the scenery. Marmalade eventually discovers the elusive magician and soon sets his feathered friends loose. In order to prevent Ertax from recommitting his offense, Marmalade offers an animal-friendly solution for the now birdless magician. Using decorated paper airplanes instead of birds, Ertax (with his new assistant Marmalade) is able to entertain audiences again. After the thrilling chase, the quick resolution and the formerly devious magician's abrupt acquiescence comes as something of an anti-climax. Full-page collage illustrations feature loud colors and eye-catching graphics; readers will enjoy the challenge of searching the pictures for Ertax's transformed self in the landscape. Individually the elements of this tale work: a moral that emphasizes cooperation and ingenuity, intriguing illustrations, feats of derring-do, etc.—but with the momentum faltering midway, the story fails to meld into a satisfying whole. No magic here. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-84148-316-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2001
Ignoring a big dragon’s repeated complaints, one, two, three…up to ten little dragons make increasing amounts of sleep-preventing noise in this bouncy counting rhyme. Using a flat silkscreen style for his digitally created cartoon scenes, Long supplies a swelling band of spiky, pop-eyed youngsters with toys and musical instruments, along with such modern noisemakers as a flat-screen television, to keep the increasingly irritated parent (or maybe older sib?) wakeful. Modeled on “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” and like chestnuts, the written narrative offers both a reasonably regular cadence and some deft alliteration: “Three dancing dragons learn to tap, tap, tap. / One groggy dragon groans, ‘I want to nap!’ ” At last the miscreants tumble into bed themselves—only to find the tables turned by their larger cavemate’s spread-filling snores. A lighthearted take on a topic of common domestic interest, equally suited to sharing one on one or with a larger audience. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2010
ISBN: 970-0-545-16557-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
A sweet and spirited tale of human and badger coming together to live in harmony.
A pair of wily badgers stir up trouble, cause chaos, and save the day in this playful children’s tale.
On a blustery day in Boise, Idaho, the Badger family members ready themselves for another day of play on the ranch. Badger brothers Brett and Bartt—identical twins in every way, save for Bartt’s eyeglasses—prepare for their favorite game: digging up holes on Rancher Wayne’s land. While the Badgers perceive this as good fun, Rancher Wayne doesn’t agree (the brothers mistake his temper tantrum upon finding the holes for a silly, whimsical dance). After making their way past critter traps, barbed wire fences, and Wayne’s pesky cat, Ranger, Brett and Bartt begin their digging, only to be shaken up by an earthquake that ruptures Wayne’s waterpipes. Startled and feeling a little guilty, the twins race to tell their father, Basil, the mayor of Badgerville, what has happened. With gallons of rushing water threatening to flood Rancher Wayne’s house, farm, and the entirety of Badgerville, it’s up to friends and foes alike to work together and save their home. The authors have crafted a simple and playful tale for young children with a vital message: “There’s plenty of room for all creatures, great and small, to live together in perfect harmony for all eternity.” The protagonists—adorable critters with a perfect balance of naughty and nice—will lead young readers through an evenly paced and quick-moving romp, concluding with a satisfying solution to the crisis. Kat Davis’ full-color illustrations are sweet and simple, depicting a variety of appealing characters, from the scraggly barn cat to the glasses-adorned Bartt. Elementary school–aged children will delight in this wholesome story led by two spunky badger brothers that wraps up with an important lesson.
A sweet and spirited tale of human and badger coming together to live in harmony.Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2025
ISBN: 9798369455838
Page Count: 32
Publisher: XlibrisUS
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 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.
