bookshelf

SPLAT!

Name: SPLAT!
Author: Roslyn Schwartz
ISBN: 978-1-77147-009-4

STARRING THE VOLE BROTHERS

From the Vole Brothers series

by Roslyn Schwartz ; illustrated by Roslyn Schwartz ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2014

Even the most straight-laced will be hard-pressed not to laugh.

bookshelf

Who knew that pigeon poo could be so much fun?

The Vole Brothers are blithely walking down a road and singing a lilting “Tum ti tum ti tum” when out of nowhere, a pigeon flaps by, so close its feet nearly touch the tops of their heads. The bird unloads his white goo right on one of the vole’s heads, causing his brother to laugh, first a “Tee hee hee,” then a “Ho ho ho.” Mirth stops when the soiled brother throws the pigeon poo onto his brother, where it lands with the titular “SPLAT!” Now it’s the other brother who laughs, with a different set of syllables. The newly splatted vole flings off the poo, and it lands on the very pigeon that triggered the problem in the first place. Question marks and exclamation points appear above the Vole Brothers’ heads, until they burst into a “Woo-hoo” of joy. They wave a buoyant goodbye to the pigeon, but they don’t notice that banana peel….Close call. Schwartz’s minimal text consists entirely of exclamations and sound effects, ideal for very young aspiring readers, who are also the ideal audience for poop humor. The ink-and–pencil-crayon illustrations are simple and bright, effectively carrying the narrative along with a heaping helping of slapstick.

Even the most straight-laced will be hard-pressed not to laugh. (Picture book. 2-5)

Pub Date: March 15, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-77147-009-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Owlkids Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE VOLE BROTHERS
by Roslyn Schwartz & illustrated by Roslyn Schwartz

bookshelf

THE WIND PLAYS TRICKS

by Virginia Howard ; illustrated by Charlene Chua ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2019

For patient listeners, a fun visit to a mixed-up barnyard.

bookshelf

When a fierce wind descends on the barnyard, the animals hear some odd noises…and they’re coming from their own mouths.

The sudden wind unsettles all the animals on the farm just when they should be getting ready for sleep. Instead, they anxiously “cheep” and “cluck” and “oink” and “quack” and “moooo.” They shift nervously, pull together, and make all sorts of noises. All except Turtle, who tucks into his shell under an old log and sleeps. In the morning, though, the animals get a surprise. Pig says, “Cluck”; the Little Chicks say, “Neigh”; Horse crows, “Cock-a-doodle-doo.” How will they get their proper sounds back? Turtle has an idea, and he enjoys the process so much that he decides to open his mouth the next time the wind plays tricks at the farm: Perhaps he’ll catch a sound all his own. Chua’s cartoon barnyard is bright, and her animals, expressive, their faces and body language slightly anthropomorphized. The edges of the figures sometimes betray their digital origins. Though the tale is humorous and will give lots of opportunity for practicing animal sounds, the audience is hard to pin down, as the young children sure to enjoy mooing and clucking may not have the patience to sit through the somewhat lengthy text.

For patient listeners, a fun visit to a mixed-up barnyard. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: March 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-8075-8735-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

bookshelf

FIND FERGUS

by Mike Boldt ; illustrated by Mike Boldt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 3, 2020

An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books.

bookshelf

A young bear learns the nuance of blending into a crowd when playing a game of hide-and-seek.

Much like any naïve 3-year-old, Fergus, a brown bear with round, black eyeglasses, must first understand the concept of hiding. Whether out in the open or next to or behind a slender tree, Fergus is told he is easily found and must try again. The continual voice of the speaker is that of a kind, patient instructor as Fergus follows directions, presents various choices for hiding places, and works to improve strategy. “We’re going to help you,” says the narrator. “Start by hiding in a crowd.” In a group of small squirrels and rabbits, Fergus easily stands out, as he also does in crowds of large elephants or polar bears. Hiding among moose while sporting tree-branch antlers doesn’t quite do it either. Finally, Fergus, willing to keep at it, is able to successfully find concealment among a bunch of brown bears wearing a variety of facial expressions. Simple, black-line drawings augment Fergus’ efforts through each encouraging directive. Having mastered the idea, Fergus then hides within a large, diversified animal crowd splayed across a double gatefold to create a Where’s Waldo–like challenge featuring all the previous characters together. For the ultimate seek-and-find activity Fergus then challenges readers to search within the gatefold for a long list of items. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size; double gatefold viewed at 50% of actual size.)

An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books. (Picture book. 3-5)