It’s a subtle lesson in politeness, perhaps overshadowed by the lingering mystery at the end.
Mole’s rudeness abates when his polite friends demonstrate the art of camaraderie and apologies.
Seeing that Mole is carrying a big, heavy box with a big keyhole in it, Pig offers his friend a lift. Pig asks, “So, what’s in the box?” and Mole rudely retorts, “NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” Angrily, Pig slams on the brakes, causing Mole to catapult out of the convertible. Pig’s friends, Hippo, Girl, and Mouse, agree Mole is very rude—and everyone is curious to find out what the box contains while Mole is gone. Attempts at rocking it, rolling it, and trying to bash it open with a hammer are futile. Mole (uninjured) catches up, opens the box, locks himself in, comes out, entices the group to enter, then sneakily locks them in. Mole laughs at his deceit, but the music, laughter, and singing noises coming from the box make him feel left out. “What are you doing in there?” “NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” Wanting to join the fun, Mole unlocks the box. All rush out, knocking Mole down and apologizing immediately. A chastened Mole is also sorry, and friendship prevails—but readers never learn the contents of the box. Unstated details unfold in small sequential scenes against a mostly white canvas, the soft-edged cartoons enhanced with emphatic dialogue often set in a bold, capitalized font. Girl is paper-white with a black pageboy.
It’s a subtle lesson in politeness, perhaps overshadowed by the lingering mystery at the end. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-91095-935-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Otter-Barry
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for...
Oliver, of first-day-of-school alligator fame, is back, imagining adventures and still struggling to find balance between introversion and extroversion.
“When Oliver found his egg…” on the playground, mint-green backgrounds signifying Oliver’s flight into fancy slowly grow larger until they take up entire spreads; Oliver’s creature, white and dinosaurlike with orange polka dots, grows larger with them. Their adventures include sharing treats, sailing the seas and going into outer space. A classmate’s yell brings him back to reality, where readers see him sitting on top of a rock. Even considering Schmid’s scribbly style, readers can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he ponders the girl and whether or not to give up his solitary play. “But when Oliver found his rock… // Oliver imagined many adventures // with all his friends!” This last is on a double gatefold that opens to show the children enjoying the creature’s slippery curves. A final wordless spread depicts all the children sitting on rocks, expressions gleeful, wondering, waiting, hopeful. The illustrations, done in pastel pencil and digital color, again make masterful use of white space and page turns, although this tale is not nearly as funny or tongue-in-cheek as Oliver and His Alligator (2013), nor is its message as clear and immediately accessible to children.
Still, this young boy’s imagination is a powerful force for helping him deal with life, something that should be true for all children but sadly isn’t. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-7573-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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