by Robin Stevenson & illustrated by David Parkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2011
This easy read only lightly deals with a common childhood issue, and its winsome attitude makes it fun.
Ben and his best friend Jack face a crisis: Jack is moving away. Perhaps the wily pair can invent some way to prevent that?
Ben and Jack live across the street from each other; a speed bump connects their houses and, seemingly, their hearts. When the “for sale” sign appears in Jack’s front yard, its threat seems dire. “Inventors invent inventions,” the two grade-schoolers like to say. So they begin to construct a giant catapult to shoot dead weeds into Jack’s front yard to discourage buyers. If that fails, they can resort to Plans B or C. All of their plans share a common feature, a quality of dreaming and scheming that seems perfectly age appropriate: Not too well thought out, but very imaginative. Taking into consideration the controlled vocabulary of this effort geared toward readers transitioning to chapter books, Ben and Jack exchange a lot of believable dialogue, but neither of their characters is particularly distinguishable from the other. Attractive, cheerful black-and-white full-page illustrations appear every few pages. While having a new friend ever-so-conveniently move into Jack’s house after he leaves seems like a too-easy resolution, everything about this effort is charmingly upbeat.
This easy read only lightly deals with a common childhood issue, and its winsome attitude makes it fun. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-55469-802-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
Share your opinion of this book
More by Robin Stevenson
BOOK REVIEW
by Robin Stevenson ; illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
BOOK REVIEW
by Robin Stevenson ; illustrated by Allison Steinfeld
BOOK REVIEW
by Robin Stevenson ; illustrated by Julie McLaughlin
by Emily Calandrelli & Tamson Weston ; illustrated by Renée Kurilla ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 29, 2017
The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the...
Using science and technology, third-grader Ada Lace kicks off her new series by solving a mystery even with her leg in a cast.
Temporarily housebound after a badly executed bungee jump, Ada uses binoculars to document the ecosystem of her new neighborhood in San Francisco. She records her observations in a field journal, a project that intrigues new friend Nina, who lives nearby. When they see that Ms. Reed’s dog, Marguerite, is missing, they leap to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Nina does the legwork and Ada provides the technology for their search for the dognapper. Story-crafting takes a back seat to scene-setting in this series kickoff that introduces the major players. As part of the series formula, science topics and gadgetry are integrated into the stories and further explained in a “Behind the Science” afterword. This installment incorporates drones, a wireless camera, gecko gloves, and the Turing test as well as the concept of an ecosystem. There are no ethnic indicators in the text, but the illustrations reveal that Ada, her family, and bratty neighbor Milton are white; Nina appears to be Southeast Asian; and Mr. Peebles, an inventor who lives nearby, is black.
The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the chapter-book world. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8599-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Emily Calandrelli
BOOK REVIEW
by Emily Calandrelli with Tamson Weston ; illustrated by Renée Kurilla
by Asia Citro ; illustrated by Marion Lindsay ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2017
In spite of the book’s flaws, dragons are very appealing, and tales for young audiences that model the scientific method are...
Zoey discovers that she can see magical creatures that might need her help.
That’s a good thing because her mother has been caring for the various beasts since childhood, but now she’s leaving on a business trip so the work will fall to Zoey. Most people (like Zoey’s father) can’t see the magical creatures, so Zoey, who appears in illustrations to be black, will have to experiment with their care by problem-solving using the scientific method to determine appropriate treatment and feeding. When a tiny, sick dragon shows up on her doorstep, she runs an experiment and determines that marshmallows appear to be the proper food. Unfortunately, she hadn’t done enough research beforehand to understand that although dragons might like marshmallows, they might not be the best food for a sick, fire-breathing baby. Although the incorporation of important STEM behaviors is a plus, the exposition is mildly clunky, with little character development and stilted dialogue. Many pages are dense with large-print text, related in Zoey’s not especially childlike voice. However, the inclusion in each chapter of a couple of attractive black-and-white illustrations of round-faced people and Zoey’s mischievous cat helps break up the narrative.
In spite of the book’s flaws, dragons are very appealing, and tales for young audiences that model the scientific method are nice to see. (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943147-08-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: The Innovation Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Asia Citro
BOOK REVIEW
by Asia Citro ; illustrated by Richard Watson
BOOK REVIEW
by Asia Citro ; illustrated by Troy Cummings
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.