Toddlers and their parents love the humor of Wells’s bestselling Max and Ruby board books and the bright, believable animal characters in her illustrations for Opie’s quintessential Mother Goose collections (My Very First Mother Goose, 1996, etc.). Younger preschoolers who are ready to move on from Max and Mother Goose will be just the right age for this short, simple, but satisfying story about a guinea pig named Felix who ate “too many chocolate blimpies and stayed up way too late,” causing the little guy to bounce on his bed with sugar-induced glee. Well, what happens when we burn the midnight oil and overindulge in unhealthy goodies? Felix doesn’t feel well in the morning, and after trying all the traditional motherly remedies (chamomile tea, fresh air, and a bowl of prunes), his mama takes him to see Dr. Duck. The little guinea pig is in that afraid-to-visit-the-doctor phase, but Dr. Duck proves to be a kindly pediatrician who fixes Felix’s tummy-ache with two spoons of “Happy Tummy” supplemented by a long nap and comforting tea and toast. Wells has created another charming anthropomorphic character with amusing expressions on his furry little face, perfectly capturing that horrid “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” feeling. Felix’s story not only provides some subtle lessons in good health habits and coping with mild illness, but also confirms the reassuring results of a mother’s tender loving care. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7636-0639-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this.
A lushly illustrated picture book with a troubling message.
Little Lala walks with her father after his successful day of fishing. When Mama calls her home for bed, a host of “good night”s delays her: to the bird, the monkey, and even the rock. As Lala wanders through her village in the darkening twilight, readers appreciate its expansive beauty and Lala’s simple joys. Although it’s been artfully written and richly illustrated by an award-winning author of many multicultural stories, this book has problems that overshadow its beauty. “African veld” sets the story in southern Africa, but its vague locale encourages Americans to think that distinctions among African countries don’t matter. Lala wears braids or locks that stick straight up, recalling the 19th-century pickaninny, and her inconsistent skin color ranges from deep ebony like her father’s to light brown. Shadows may cause some of these differences, but if it weren’t for her identifiable hair, readers might wonder if the same child wanders from page to page. Perhaps most striking of all is Lala’s bedtime story: not an African tale but an American classic. While this might evoke nostalgia in some readers, it also suggests that southern Africa has no comparably great bedtime books for Lala, perhaps in part because American children’s literature dominates the world market.
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-17384-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
This straightforward, graphic book was published in Japan in 1978. Whether the US is ready for its unblinking look at a subject that naturally fascinates children and is basic to toilet training remains to be seen. ``An elephant makes a big poop. A mouse makes a tiny poop,'' begins Gomi, depicting animals, birds, fish, and humans in boldly stylized forms silhouetted against origami-paper colors; their feces are appropriately shaped blobs. There's a lot to know: different shapes, colors, and smells (not described), while some animals stop but ``Others do it on the move.'' A child heading for ``a special place'' introduces a nonjudgmental comparison of adults and tots on toilets and potties with a baby on a diaper. The book concludes with a seven- animal lineup viewed fore (``All living things eat, so...'') and aft (``Everyone poops''). Candid and sensible. (Picture book. 2- 5)
Pub Date: March 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-916291-45-6
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1993
SEEN & HEARD
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