Rollicking and wise, this sailing story mixes prose, poetry, and song, offering a special lyrical gift.
A tale for young readers draws on the enchantments of sea travel.
Inspired variously by the Odyssey, William Blake’s cosmologies, Rumi’s poems, and Charles Kingsley’s stories for youngsters, this novel embraces the magic of childhood imagining. Kate and Chris, along with Kate’s loyal dog, Holly, swim and frolic on a summer shore. A ship built from driftwood becomes their vessel: Kate’s the queen and Chris is the Man of Action, the one who saves them both from wind and water. At first, Kate’s fear of sailing the high seas causes her to abandon ship, but a terrible loneliness sets in, and she regrets leaving. The sudden appearance of a magician saves the day; she answers his riddles to regain her berth. In their boat, the Pearl of the Seas, Kate and Chris pilot through treacherous rocks and come ashore in a welcoming kingdom, where they learn a version of the Tower of Babel story, “the very disaster of our world.” In this hybrid book of narrative blended with verse and song, different ways of telling a story may appear on a single page. The King of Names instructs Kate that “for the deep things it is poetry.” Such wise lessons fortify the children, but even happy dreams must end. Their parting gifts include a magic pebble-pearl that rights the broken mast so they may return to the shore of reality and family. Though the Pearl of the Seas may not buoy them to distant lands again, they determine that Black Inked Pearl—the written record of their travels—shall be their legacy. As in the novel for adults, Finnegan’s (Black Inked Pearl, 2015) “fairytale prequel” for younger readers delights in the associative wordplay of sound and sense. A moment of canine joy provides a vivid illustration: “Still in gleeful flightful lightsome delighting delight. Barking, sparking, larking.” A handful of superb black-and-white drawings by Backshall complements the work’s whimsical vision.
Rollicking and wise, this sailing story mixes prose, poetry, and song, offering a special lyrical gift.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9955617-4-8
Page Count: 186
Publisher: Callender Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Roman charms with an imaginative, whimsical picture book that will entertain even the oldest pirates.
Debut author Roman pens a picture book about an imaginative boy who transforms his bed and stuffed animals into props for a marvelous pirate adventure.
Roman draws the reader in from the first page with illustrations that are cheerful and clever. The story showcases a young pirate and his menagerie: cousin Hallie, a first mate who sports a purple bandanna and ruffled pirate shirt; Linus, the loudmouthed but scaredy-cat lion with a braided goatee; Fribbet, the floppy frog with an audacious red pirate hat; and Mongo, the mast-climbing monkey who charms with an eye patch and endearingly oversized lips. Roman deftly creates an appealing visual experience with engaging, bright illustrations that will appeal to young readers. The characters are rich with animated expressions and personalities that showcase the creative and warmhearted ways the characters have fun. Well-drafted secondary characters also include the “mermaid” who appears with a plate of golden doubloons (in the form of cookies) and orders the pirate not to get crumbs on the bed when eating them. The text has a lovely intonation when read aloud, and the simple, understandable story also carries a more complex, clever subtext that will allow for educational discussions. The captain’s constant good-natured lament that “being a captain is hard work”—as he watches his crew do all the actual labor—is hilarious and a pleasant opportunity to teach children about the nuances of words and their layers of meaning. The author’s adept use of genuine pirate terms—“swab the decks,” “pump the bilges” and “me hearties”—adds flavor and authenticity to the story, too. The captain and his crew sit down with a dictionary to figure out what “shiver me timbers” means, and then they take great delight upon using the phrase correctly; children will, too.
Roman charms with an imaginative, whimsical picture book that will entertain even the oldest pirates.Pub Date: April 12, 2012
ISBN: 978-0615534657
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Michael/Okon
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
Modern, colorful illustrations and a fun tale ensure that this message never becomes too preachy.
A rhyming picture book that deals with self-esteem in children.
Kraut’s debut introduces Sophie Sage, a young girl unfamiliar with failure. She aces spelling tests and wins every game she plays, but things change when she gets up in front of her class during their regular guessing game. Sophie has a memory lapse and forgets the name of the president whose picture she’s holding. Embarrassed, Sophie suddenly stops volunteering answers in school. An assignment to give a scary speech for Halloween leaves Sophie dreading having to speak in front of her class again. When Grandfather notices a change in behavior, he asks her what’s wrong. Sophie breaks down in tears, telling him everything. He shares a story about a time he did poorly on a geography test and explains that no one is right all the time. Once Sophie learns that it’s OK to make mistakes, she gains the confidence to give the Halloween speech; she doesn’t even worry about the few mistakes she makes while giving it. Vibrant, cartoonlike illustrations animate the text, which is a nice length for a read-aloud book. Though short enough for beginning readers, there are some words that will challenge their skills. While the rhyming text helps the story to move along at a quick pace, at times the forced rhymes sound a bit clunky. The message—that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s OK to be wrong once in a while—will be clear even to younger children, making the book a great teaching tool for parents or teachers dealing with issues of self-esteem and confidence in children.
Modern, colorful illustrations and a fun tale ensure that this message never becomes too preachy.Pub Date: July 19, 2012
ISBN: 978-1469931128
Page Count: 70
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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