This story of a child’s longing for a puppy, illustrated with charming, cartoon-style illustrations, aims to combine narrative with factual information for children 6 and up.
Giles (JESUS SITS in the DRIVERS SEAT, 2014, etc.) tells the story of young Thomas, the narrator, who wants a “puppy brother.” After briefly using his mother’s binoculars to see a faraway dog park, Thomas decides to build an optical instrument of his own. As he searches for materials in a closet, something hits his head, and though he completes his telescope, when he looks into it, he falls into a magical land. There, he and Princess Jade embark on a journey guided by magical creatures until they land in a dog park, and he feels his face being licked. Opening his eyes, Thomas finds himself in the hospital, recovering from a concussion. It’s his birthday, and his cousin Jade is holding his gift—the puppy brother he’s been longing for. Throughout the tale, Thomas’ mother shares world history lessons, but the integration is awkward, especially the attempt to link the Battle of Iwo Jima and binoculars. The way Thomas’ optical instrument is described—“binoculars somehow end up being a telescope that is really a kaleidoscope”—is confusing, as is the timing of his concussion. Most readers will think Thomas is hurt when he begins hallucinating, but his mother’s explanation in the hospital indicates it happened earlier. Because the narration doesn’t clearly tie Thomas’ desire for the optical instrument to his desire for the dog and because unnecessary details—such as the history of the Fresnel lens or all the components required to construct a homemade kaleidoscope—interrupt, the story’s momentum is lost. The book is poorly edited, with uncorrected errors in punctuation and sentence structure; e.g., “What is a dog park I ask?” The choice to avoid colloquial language in the dialogue, for example, the repeated use of cannot and I have instead of can’t and I’ve, makes the voices unrealistic and stilted-sounding.
As with binoculars or a telescope, inability to properly focus mars the view.
Pub Date: June 27, 2014
ISBN: 978-1495247972
Page Count: 34
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike.
Even robot cats have a mind of their own.
All 12-year-old Canadian Lacey Chu’s ever wanted was to become a companioneer like her idol, Monica Chan, co-founder of the largest tech firm in North America, Moncha Corp., and mastermind behind the baku. Bakus, “robotic pets with all the features of a smartphone,” revolutionized society and how people interact with technology. As a companioneer, Lacey could work on bakus: designing, innovating, and building. When she receives a grant rejection from Profectus Academy of Science and Technology, a school that guarantees employment at Moncha Corp., she’s devastated. A happenstance salvaging of a mangled cat baku might just change the game. Suddenly, Lacey’s got an in with Profectus and is one step closer to her dream. Jinx, however, is not quite like the other bakus—he’s a wild cat that does things without commands. Together with Jinx, Lacey will have to navigate competitive classmates and unsettling corporate secrets. McCulloch effectively strikes a balance between worldbuilding and action. High-stakes baku battles demonstrate the emotional bond between (robotic) pet and owner. Readers will also connect to the relationships the Asian girl forges with her diverse classmates, including a rivalry with Carter (a white boy who’s the son of Moncha’s other co-founder, Eric Smith), a burgeoning crush on student Tobias, who’s black, and evolving friendships new and old. While some mysteries are solved, a cliffhanger ending raises even more for the next installment.
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike. (Science fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-8374-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face.
Four misunderstood villains endeavor to turn over a new leaf…or a new rap sheet in Blabey's frenzied romp.
As readers open the first page of this early chapter book, Mr. Wolf is right there to greet them, bemoaning his reputation. "Just because I've got BIG POINTY TEETH and RAZOR-SHARP CLAWS and I occasionally like to dress up like an OLD LADY, that doesn't mean… / … I'm a BAD GUY." To prove this very fact, Mr. Wolf enlists three equally slandered friends into the Good Guys Club: Mr. Snake (aka the Chicken Swallower), Mr. Piranha (aka the Butt Biter), and Mr. Shark (aka Jaws). After some convincing from Mr. Wolf, the foursome sets off determined to un-smirch their names (and reluctantly curbing their appetites). Although these predators find that not everyone is ready to be at the receiving end of their helpful efforts, they use all their Bad Guy know-how to manage a few hilarious good deeds. Blabey has hit the proverbial nail on the head, kissed it full on the mouth, and handed it a stick of Acme dynamite. With illustrations that startle in their manic comedy and deadpan direct address and with a narrative that follows four endearingly sardonic characters trying to push past (sometimes successfully) their fear-causing natures, this book instantly joins the classic ranks of Captain Underpants and The Stinky Cheese Man.
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face. (Fiction. 7-11)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-91240-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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