An amusing way to learn some collective nouns and enjoy the underdog’s triumph.
A pretentious professorial goose tries to school a younger goose on animal plurals.
English collective nouns for animal groups are notoriously irregular. When monocle-wearing, bow-tied Bruce pompously instructs, “Two goose is geese,” boisterous young Bill responds, “And two goose is geese!” (But as Bruce realizes, two moose are not meese.) Bill always looks elated, while Bruce appears harried. Seeing leaf-bearing ants in single file, Bill guesses logically they’re a herd—but no, they are a colony. As Bill sinks headfirst into a huge anthill, only the goose’s lower half showing, Bruce exclaims in exasperation, “I can’t take you seriously if you will not wear pants!” Sheep multiply over four pages, but one or many, they remain sheep. A group of bats is a cauldron; multiple giraffes are a tower. After readers learn about plural monkeys, fish, penguins, and pigs, teacher and pupil face a skulk of playful foxes and their stolen “socks-es.” Suddenly, one fox contemplates Bruce not as a source of knowledge but as dinner—but it’s Bill to the rescue! Stuart wrings humor from the absurdity of grammar rules and from the interactions between the two geese. The animals are depicted in cartoon style, with expressive eyes and jointless bodies, Bruce with a flat head and geometric neck. The pages have bright, flat-hued backgrounds, and the cavorting animals are given close to their natural coloration. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An amusing way to learn some collective nouns and enjoy the underdog’s triumph. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9781338875829
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...
Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.
The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-4779-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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