Confusing and sorely lacking context
In a chilly New England forest, the narrator, a birch stump, awaits the approaching cold, dark times.
At first, the stump is a proud birch tree until the day that Beaver gnaws it down, as beavers will do. As Beaver ambles off, the stump hears him complain about the approaching “cold and darkness.” Soon, other animals pass by the stump, and it asks if they have been gossiping about that cold and dark. Each one denies it, saying they heard it from some other animal, and so fear creeps into the forest. Later, Beaver returns to the stump, admitting that he spread the rumor to help everyone to prepare but does not know where he learned it. The stump waits, but all that comes is the returning warm weather, which brings its own surprise. Kelley’s text attempts to be a cautionary tale about how rumors spread and grow, but it doesn’t hang together. Readers accustomed to stories that explain the seasons will find it confusing—winter does come, and it is definitely a period of cold and darkness, at least in New England. In Kelley’s illustrations, beautifully painted, realistic-looking animals pose in Native dress. Although a concluding note explains that he bases his story in Wabanaki lore and his illustrations on a series of his paintings of tribal elders, there is no further context to ground readers or to situate them as to their authenticity.
Confusing and sorely lacking context . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 24, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-944762-39-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Islandport Press
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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