Lovely to look at but inartfully told.
Following his adoption in Madame Martine (2014), Max the dog leads his owner on another chase—this time in the Louvre.
It's another Saturday—the day Madame Martine and Max venture out of their Paris apartment to explore. When Martine's friend Louis, a guard at the Louvre, meets her at the cafe and asks her to visit him, she makes excuses for never going: “It's so crowded, and they don't allow dogs.” Louis goes off to work while Martine and Max ride the Métro, getting off at the Palais Royale stop for a new adventure. When Max spots Louis near the Louvre’s employee entrance, he scampers past and into the museum, with the two in pursuit. But their chase is short-lived, and suddenly Max is in Martine's arms. Readers primed for a lesson in art history with a dash of humor will be disappointed; Louis excitedly points out exquisite masterpieces, but Martine is decidedly uninterested, solely focused on leaving before Max is spotted. Only when Louis shows her the Mona Lisa does Martine pause to admire an artwork. The tension sputters, and the story ends on an anticlimactic note. As in Brannen's first Martine and Max story, the beautiful watercolor illustrations starring the inimitable Max are expressive and carefully rendered—but altogether different is Martine's reaction to her first experience visiting a Paris landmark.
Lovely to look at but inartfully told. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4907-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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