Oppenheim (Yanni Rubbish, 1999, etc.) employs familiar motifs to craft a story with the feel of a folktale. Ali ibn Ali is the much-loved but spoiled son of kind, doting parents. His haughty disregard for others, particularly the beggar at the gate of his palace, causes his mother to remark, “A true Muslim gives to the poor, the crippled, the homeless, the hungry.” When Ali’s father becomes mysteriously and gravely ill, Ali’s only hope to save him, according to the beggar, is to discard his expensive clothes, take up a beggar’s bowl, and beg for money to buy the ingredients for a stew that will heal his father. Ali finds that begging is a humiliating and humbling experience. But the advice proves correct: the magic remedy cures his father, Ali learns the healing power of kindness, and the archetypal giver of wisdom melts into the night sky. With opulent, stylized illustrations that have the flavor of the Thousand and One Nights, this tale is ultimately as satisfying as Ali’s stew. And the references to Allah may stimulate conversation. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-56397-869-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2002
Comic fun for those who appreciate farce—or monsters.
The creators of Goosebumps and Arthur team up for a monster of a joke book.
Two monster friends, one big, one little, perch on a tree branch. Funny decides to improve glum Hunny’s mood with some irresistible jokes. Hunny remains unimpressed and resolutely grumpy, but Funny increasingly ups the ante, assuring Hunny more and more firmly that the best gags are yet to come. Funny tells a dozen jokes in total. Some are incoherent, while others are mildly amusing; all but one feature monsters, many involving monstrous appetites: “What’s the monster’s favorite school lunch?” “The teacher!” Funny believes that each one is hilarious and cracks themself up, but Hunny is unmoved. The impasse is resolved with one moment of slapstick: Funny jumps up and down on the branch in frustration, then becomes unbalanced, falls off the limb, and lands in the water below with a huge splash. Hunny thinks that the pratfall is hilarious and finally guffaws, good humor restored. Many readers will find the so-bad-they’re-good jokes and the ending satisfyingly absurd. Blocky collage illustrations of varied textures and cheerful colors, set against a flat background, carry readers through the text; the monsters are toothy, but most are reasonably friendly looking. Touches of red provide accents. Large text and mostly simple words will appeal to beginning readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Comic fun for those who appreciate farce—or monsters. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: July 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-338-81525-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
A girl with a passion for pink discovers that the monochromatic life may not be a bed of roses after all. Much like Roald Dahl’s Violet, this little girl doesn’t know when to say enough, as she over-indulges in the pinker-than-pink cupcakes she and her mother have made. Even when she awakens to discover she is a vivid pink hue, the girl is delighted. However, when her continual consumption of the pastry results in her color deepening to a red, she knows she must listen to her doctor and consume the antidote of—what else—green foods. Kann’s snappy prose is filled with subtle puns and jokes—the girls calls herself “pinkerella” and “pinkerbelle”—to keep astute readers chuckling. The tale is over the top enough to engage older readers while the younger set will be fascinated by the thought of becoming their favorite color. Kann’s computer-enhanced, full-color illustrations are a continuation of the zaniness. Bold colors and collage-style accents create a surreal landscape in which a child turning pink seems to be almost normal. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-06-077639-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2006
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
