Original in its visual and linguistic presentation of behavioral problems, this important call for understanding should sit...
The Snurtch sits in Ruthie’s seat at school, all furry, spiky, goofy, and googly-eyed, waiting—just as she expected.
It hovers, pokes, and pants, orange hair and jagged mouth going every which way, getting the fair-skinned girl all mixed up in its misdeeds and bad behavior. It is “scribbly and scrunchy”; it’s “grabby and burpy and rude.” The other kids recoil. Children whose cheeks flush with quick anger and whose school days are riddled with frustration and regret will empathize deeply with Ruthie’s helplessness at the hands of her Snurtch. And, looking at the Snurtch, which appears as a childlike drawing superimposed over polished, detailed illustrations of Ruthie, her school, and classmates, they might quickly see that Ruthie, in fact, misbehaves, since the Snurtch makes it all but impossible not to. While the Snurtch doesn't appear scary (it looks kind of silly), its perfect embodiment of overwhelming (and instantly regrettable) impulses borders on heart-wrenching. Every student harbors and battles a Snurtch, as readers see with relief on the final pages of this clever, pertinent book, but some have bigger, more monstrous ones than others. Ruthie's dark brow, set mouth, and hooded eyes make clear the weighty burden she carries around like a backpack.
Original in its visual and linguistic presentation of behavioral problems, this important call for understanding should sit on library, classroom, and bedrooms shelves—the high ones, just above a Snurtch's reach . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5656-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Delicious and affirming.
A young boy of Peranakan Chinese descent would love to help Mamah and his aunties cook a feast for Lunar New Year’s Eve, but will they let him?
Jin’s grandmother Mamah is the heart of their home. He is entranced by the wonderful smells coming from her kitchen as she prepares for a big family reunion dinner. Jin’s three aunties ask his sisters to help, but even though none of them are interested, nobody asks Jin. “Babas never got asked—only Nyonyas did.” So, gathering his courage, he announces, “I can help.” The aunties brush him off, assuming that a boy would only get in the way, but Mamah comes to the rescue: “I don’t see anything wrong with Jin learning if he wants to.” Jin’s excitement at helping Mamah cook is palpable in Lee’s sensory-laden text (“The sizzle of her stuffed fried fish sounded like music”), and the two have a blast pounding, pressing, squeezing, slicing, and crying with laughter. Soon they have a feast of Peranakan Chinese delights, and Jin even learns some of Mamah’s secrets, like her father’s laksa recipe. Colorful digital illustrations with a cartoony look do a fine job of conveying the action, and the slightly contrived climactic moment for Jin is easily overlooked for the bigger message of allowing kids to explore their interests and connect with family. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Delicious and affirming. (author’s note, recipe) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 9780374389857
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Frightful and delightful: a comforting (to some, anyway) reminder that no one sleeps alone.
In a tardy prequel to I Need My Monster (2009), candidates for that coveted spot under the bed audition.
As the distressingly unflappable young narrator looks on, one monster after another gives it a go—but even with three mouths, the best roar Genghis can manage is a puny “blurp!”, silly shadow puppets by shaggy Morgan elicit only a sneeze, and red Abigail’s attempt to startle by hiding in the fridge merely leaves her shivering and pathetic. Fortunately, there’s Gabe, who knows just how to turn big and hairy while lurking outside the bathroom and whose red-eyed stare and gross drooling sends the lad scrambling into bed to save his toes. “Kid, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” the toothy terror growls. Right he is, the lad concludes, snuggling down beneath the covers: “His snorts and ooze were perfect.” As usual, the white-presenting child’s big, bright, smiling face and the assortment of bumbling monsters rendered in oversaturated hues keep any actual scariness at tentacle’s length. Moreover, Monster, Inc. fans will delight in McWilliam’s painstaking details of fang, claw, hair, and scales.
Frightful and delightful: a comforting (to some, anyway) reminder that no one sleeps alone. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-947277-09-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flashlight Press
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
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