by Rosemary Wells & illustrated by Rosemary Wells ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1995
One of three variations on a theme, aimed directly at impatient parents. Edward really can't swim yet and is the only guest at Georgina's pool party still wearing water wings; when she pops them and pushes him in, he needs to be rescued by the lifeguard. In pointed response to the plethora of books pushing early self-reliance, Wells (Max and Ruby's Midas, p. 642) offers this and two other small-format episodes—Edward Unready For School (ISBN 0-8037-1884-5) and Edward's Overwhelming Overnight (1883-7) - -featuring an anxious-looking bear who doesn't respond well to new challenges, and calm adults who bail him out. Edward never blooms; the message, made explicit for denser readers, stops at ``Not everyone is ready for the same things at the same time.'' It's a worthy thought, although, unlike Wells's Bunny Planet series (Voyage to the Bunny Planet, 1992, etc.), the plots are rudimentary and interchangeable. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-8037-1882-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1995
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More by Rosemary Wells
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by Rosemary Wells ; illustrated by Rosemary Wells
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by Rosemary Wells ; illustrated by Rosemary Wells
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by Rosemary Wells ; illustrated by Rosemary Wells
adapted by Stephen Carpenter & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 1998
In this entry in the Growing Tree series, the publisher copyrights the text, while Carpenter provides illustrations for the story; here, the three billy goats named Gruff play on a nasty troll’s greed to get where the grass is greenest. Logic has never been the long suit of this tale: Instead of letting the two smaller billy goats be terrorized by the mean and ugly troll, children wonder, why doesn’t the biggest billy goat step in sooner? It’s still a good introduction to comparatives, and the repetitiveness of the story invites participation. The artwork matches the story: The characters are suitably menacing, quivering, or stalwart, and the perspectives allow readers to be right there in the thick of the action. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: June 30, 1998
ISBN: 0-694-01033-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1998
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by Bruce Lansky & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter
by Mary Murphy & illustrated by Mary Murphy ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2001
Good deeds beget good deeds in this graphically bold and bright celebration of benevolence. Hen gives Pig an egg, a kindness that inspires him to give a carrot to Rabbit, who in turn picks flowers for Cow, and so on until Pig returns the initial favor by presenting Hen with a chick—hatched from her original egg. The clever turn of events leaves readers wondering if Hen has hornswoggled Pig into doing the work of hatching her egg, or if she is simply thanking him for the gift? The youngest readers and listeners will not be distracted by such concerns and will enjoy shouting out “How kind!” as it’s repeated throughout the text; they may also be inspired to emulate the animals and take turns doing one another kindnesses. Electric pink, sky blue, yellow, orange, purple, and tennis-ball-green ink-and-wash illustrations outlined in heavy black add to the cheer and are complemented by the loose yet readable typeface, created by and named for Murphy (Koala and the Flower, not reviewed, etc.). For just plain storytime fun or for introducing the concept of karma, this is a winner. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7636-1732-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2002
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More by Mary Murphy
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by Mary Murphy ; illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang
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by Mary Murphy ; illustrated by Mary Murphy
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by Mary Murphy ; illustrated by Mary Murphy
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