Definitely on a roll—or more accurately, a rutabaga—the creators of Dr. Pompo’s Nose (2000) assemble another world entirely from photographs of lusciously fresh, cleverly sculpted produce. A wind-blown baby pea tempts young Gus, all mushroom caps and stems, to set out through the towering artichokes of Howling Forest with his similarly fungal canine sidekick, Button. Surviving an encounter with the wood’s predatory resident (an artichoke wolf), the intrepid explorers discover on the other side a shining metropolis built amidst groves of broccoli and parsley from squash of various stripes, bright peppers, melons, and vegetables. After returning the pea to its grateful mother, Gus brings some of that color back to his own unrelievedly beige hometown. The digitally arranged tableaus accompany a sprightly rhymed text—“ ‘You crossed the wolfy woods?’ gasped Belle, ‘That is just incredible. / Either you are very brave, or you must be inedible.” In an afterword, the authors explain that everything has been made with real food, though the placement is digitally arranged. Playing with food has never been this much fun. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-11015-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2001
Readers will enjoy going to the dogs with this one.
The start of a beautiful canine friendship.
Brown, shaggy Doggo seems content with his “same old, same old,” “could have been worse” daily existence. His pal Cat keeps him company, and he stays busy with numerous jobs around the house. Though he’s sometimes nostalgic for the good old days when he was livelier and something of a risk taker, he tells himself he’s “happy enough.” The humans believe Doggo’s life needs shaking up, however. Cat agrees and points out the humans have an idea in mind. That jolt comes in the form of a rascally newcomer—rambunctious, reddish-brown Pupper. Seemingly nonstop activity and downright peskiness ensue. As a result, the humans develop another idea—charm school, which changes Pupper’s personality for the better—or does it? In fact, Pupper becomes so charmed that his demeanor changes. He’s not the high-spirited, nonstop-yapping firecracker of yore and settles into “same old, same old” routines himself, leading Doggo to take matters into his own paws and devise some clever ideas to shift the dynamic. This sweet, seven-chapter early-reader series opener employs simple language, with several short sentences per page and lots of dialogue, to bring these close friends and their fun adventures to endearing life; young readers will be charmed. The colorful illustrations that combine collage and digital techniques are lively and expressive. Though human faces aren’t seen, Doggo’s owners appear to be light-skinned.
Readers will enjoy going to the dogs with this one. (tips on puppies’ personalities, habits, and care) (Chapter book. 5-8)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-62097-2
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Essentially a follow-up to Robert Kraus’s Leo the Late Bloomer (1971) and like tales of developing competency, this follows an exuberant child from morning wash-up to lights out at night, cataloguing the tasks and skills he has mastered. Activities include dressing himself and joining in school activities, choosing his own books, helping with dinner and other household responsibilities, and taking a bath alone before bedtime. In Aliki’s sunny, simplified pictures, it’s a child’s world, seen from low angles and with adults putting in only occasional appearances. Like the lad, the fitfully rhymed text gallops along, sometimes a little too quickly—many illustrations are matched to just a word or two, so viewers aren’t always given much time to absorb one image before being urged on to the next—but underscoring the story’s bustling energy. Young readers and pre-readers will respond enthusiastically to this child’s proud self-assurance, and be prompted to take stock of their own abilities too. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2000
ISBN: 0-06-028929-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
