An uneven tale of a triumph of old versus new technology that might have been stronger if it had erased a few perplexing...
The fantastical inner workings of the pencil industry are revealed in an imaginative work by child author Darius Ceaser and his father, Sean Ceaser, with illustrations by Lanoue.
After a visually effective title page with yellow letters stylized to look like pencils, the story opens a bit confusingly. A miniature humanoid with illuminated symbols on his body slips into a keyhole, followed by three others like him. PencilMan is in charge of the four, who “take the lists / and reminders and calendar dates” from “digital slates,” or smartphones. The cleverness and effectiveness of the story’s rhymes and near rhymes varies; also, as the stolen letters are run through a machine, PencilMan puzzlingly mentions “go[ing] for berries” without further explanation. The scene then switches to a father looking at his smartphone—a realistic, familiar scenario; he’s missing lists, calendar items, and calls from the device. PencilMan’s machine, it’s revealed, has transformed the data into a pencil, which the father’s son uses. The story’s ending is satisfying. However, the work excessively focuses on the humanoids’ incongruous markings and unique names (“Limerie,” “Poe-Poe”), and PencilMan’s off-putting appearance is disappointing.
An uneven tale of a triumph of old versus new technology that might have been stronger if it had erased a few perplexing elements.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-03-910028-2
Page Count: -
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A touching story of familial love and of respect and gratitude for the bounty of the land.
A magical intergenerational story of gifts and cultural rituals shared between a grandmother and her granddaughter.
A Tlingit grandmother takes her young granddaughter to a nearby island for a berry-picking adventure in the forest. To alert the forest bear and the various types of berries that glow “like little jewels” of their presence, the pair sing a harvest song: “Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry. Huckleberry, Soapberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.” Grandma teaches the girl that “we speak to the land…as the land speaks to us,” and “we sing too, so the land knows we are grateful.” As they gather berries in the misty rain, they listen to the sounds of insect wings, inhale the sweet scent of cedar, and feel the soft moss on tree branches. Back at home, “the kitchen glows like a summer sky” as the girl, her grandmother, her father, and her younger sister make syrup, marmalade, jelly, jam, pie, and scones to share. When winter comes, the forest is described as “dreaming, waiting for berry song.” Seasons change, marking the passage of time and leading to a bittersweet, full-circle ending. This beautifully written story by Caldecott medalist/debut author Goade features breathtaking, atmospheric artwork inspired by the wild landscape of her hometown, Sheet’ká, Alaska, and incorporates rich symbolism and imagery from Tlingit culture. A closing author’s note elucidates sacred Tlingit principles mentioned in the story, and dazzling endpapers identify different berry varieties. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A touching story of familial love and of respect and gratitude for the bounty of the land. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 14, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-49417-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
An adorable adventure in cartography.
An exercise of spatial thinking through a snowy forest.
Camilla the warthog collects maps. Maps of stars, New York, even the London Tube. She even owns an ancient map of her forest. Unfortunately for her, she believes all lands have been explored and there is nothing new to chart. However, with a snowy morning comes a new opportunity. When her hedgehog neighbor, Parsley, asks for her help in finding the creek, Camilla quivers with excitement when she realizes the snow-covered land “is uncharted territory.” With all landmarks covered in snow, Camilla and Parsley must use their spatial-reasoning skills and a compass to find a new way to the creek. Their trailblazing journey proves a challenge as they keep bumping into trees, rocks, and walls. But when they find the creek, Camilla will have all the information and tools ready to draw out a new map, to break out in case of another snowfall. Wood’s delightful illustrations and Dillemuth’s expertise in the matter engage readers in the woodland creatures’ adventures. In addition, Dillemuth, who holds a doctorate in geography, provides activities in the backmatter for parents and caregivers to help children develop their own spatial-reasoning skills, such as sketching and reading maps or using cardinal directions.
An adorable adventure in cartography. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4338-3033-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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