A young boy makes a large mythological friend in the first story written by illustrator Ayto.
Henry, a tiny boy with giant red glasses, wants to find a yeti. His astronomer father, peering distractedly through telescopes and binoculars, doesn’t think they exist, but Henry can go looking if he doesn’t stay up too late. Henry’s principal tries to convince him that yetis don’t exist, announcing the plan to the whole school in an attempt to deter him through mockery, but Henry perseveres. He easily makes his way, “across an ocean, up a hill, over a river, and through a dense forest (all without staying up late).” When Henry finds a yeti, he takes plenty of selfies with his new friend, only to accidentally leave the camera behind. But the gigantic, snow-white, big-eyed creature follows him home, saving Henry from torment from skeptical classmates and teachers. Dryly witty text and clipped timing will make for a fun read-aloud, but the true hilarity of the book lies in the drawings of Henry, with his enveloping black turtleneck pulled up to his nose, his quirky, nervous, pigeon-toed stance, his big nose, and skinny, jubilant arms. The yeti is equally endearing, quirky, and cuddly, and the two are a perfectly matched set. Henry, his father, and the principal all present white, but his classmates are diverse.
Simple yet delightful, this picture book is sure to find a place in young hearts. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-683-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES
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If you’ve ever wanted to talk with a friendly goblin or meet a yeti, here’s your chance.
Gilbert, a blue-green goblin with huge eyes and ears, whispers to readers on the title page, then engages them in a discussion about how mysterious goblins are (they “pop up in unexpected places,” “lurk in the shadows,” and “are masters of disguise”) and how unmysterious yetis are. To prove the point, Gilbert is determined to find and photograph a yeti. Gilbert plows through the snow, snapping pictures of “yetis” that turn out to be shrubbery, an ice carving, and even a “snowboarding unicorn in a puffy coat.” These illustrations are giggleworthy, but they also share a secret with readers. Gilbert is totally unaware of actual yetis quietly gathering to watch. Frustrated, Gilbert screams, triggering an avalanche. Thanks to a sign in one of the illustrations, readers know before Gilbert that the avalanche is whisking the protagonist toward a secret yeti hideout. With a gulp, Gilbert lands in the hideout, but after many goblin-yeti photos, Gilbert confirms that “yetis aren’t so mysterious. They are just a little shy…until they’re not.” Gilbert's large eyes and open face reveal a range of emotions, and small details help individualize the yetis. Gilbert's running conversation with readers, presented in speech bubbles, is engaging; repeat readings will also reveal humorous details in the artwork. With some pages divided into panels, this one has the feel of a graphic novel. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Readers will laugh all the way up the mountain and down as the goblin searches for and finds a very unmysterious yeti. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66592-177-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES
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