In general, the information overload isdifficult for an adult to digest let alone a young reader.A valuable lesson in need...
This wordy children’s tale follows a show dog in Las Vegas whose lack of talent and huge appetiteleads to eventual retirement in Sun City.
Maurice, nicknamed Mickey, is part of a poodle act called “Mr. Hugo and His Amazing Dogs,” runby a showman and magician with the assistance of his daughter Clarice. Along with Pepe, Prince, Gigiand Simone—who jump through flaming hoops, waltz, sing and clown around—Mickey spends his dayson the hotel and children’s party circuit. Unlike his fellow pooches, however, the only “trick” Mickey cando is disappear from a blue box then magically reappear in a red box via a narrow underground plastictube connecting the two. One day Mickey manages to sneak out and eat all the leftovers in the hotelkitchen, which leaves him too bloated to pull off the act at the next night’s show. Mr. Hugo banishes Mickey, but Clarice takes pity on the poorpoodle and drives him to the Sun City area of Las Vegas where she and her friend Steve discover an animal hospital. There they pretend Mickeyis a lost dog that they found in order to leave him in the care of the kindly Dr. Andrews. Soon Mickey befriends a tan poodle named Jerry—afriendship that will change his life. While this colorfully illustrated story has a worthwhile moral of loving someone “for who he is, not just lovedfor what he can do,” the book itself is so cluttered with extraneous words and details that it’s like digging for a buried bone to get to the heart ofMickey’s tale. Parenthetical asides such as “(This is a French name too, and it sounds like Clare-e-e-e-ce.)” and “(Clarice was afraid to do thisherself because someone might recognize her from the show.)” are not only unnecessary but distracting.
In general, the information overload isdifficult for an adult to digest let alone a young reader.A valuable lesson in need of streamlining.Pub Date: June 29, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4363-4641-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Xlibris
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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