Justine, an environmentally focused grade schooler, is back for another easy-to-read outing (Justine McKeen: Queen of Green, 2011).
Known as the Queen of Green, Justine turns her attention here to exhaust fumes, wishing that what poured out of cars always looked filthy so more people would notice it. She gets the idea to arrange walking school buses: Groups of children shepherded to school en masse. Parent chaperones would collect children at their homes, follow a regular route each day and deliver them safely—without air pollution—to school, all on foot. Justine canvases her neighborhood looking for help from mostly unwilling adults, all of whom discouragingly regard her as a bit strange. The same cast of characters from the last outing reappear—bullying Blatzo and best friends Michael and Safdar—but, if anything, are even less well developed than in their previous cardboard appearances. Mild humor will elicit some chuckles, as when Justine encourages the janitor, frustrated because girls are kissing the mirrors with lipstick, to convince them that he cleans restrooms with water from the toilets. Playful black-and-white illustrations accompany the text. Notes for students provide advice on easy environmentally friendly activities.
Amusing, with a mild bathroom humor flavor (including a fart noise machine) that’s sure to appeal, the book's environmental message makes it a somewhat useful purchase. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-55469-929-2
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: March 21, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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A pro bono Twinkie of a book invites readers to fly off in a magic plane to bring clean water to our planet’s oceans, deserts, and brown children.
Following a confusingly phrased suggestion beneath a soft-focus world map to “touch the Earth. Now touch where you live,” a shake of the volume transforms it into a plane with eyes and feathered wings that flies with the press of a flat, gray “button” painted onto the page. Pressing like buttons along the journey releases a gush of fresh water from the ground—and later, illogically, provides a filtration device that changes water “from yucky to clean”—for thirsty groups of smiling, brown-skinned people. At other stops, a tap on the button will “help irrigate the desert,” and touching floating bottles and other debris in the ocean supposedly makes it all disappear so the fish can return. The 20 children Coh places on a globe toward the end are varied of skin tone, but three of the four young saviors she plants in the flier’s cockpit as audience stand-ins are white. The closing poem isn’t so openly parochial, though it seldom rises above vague feel-good sentiments: “Love the Earth, the moon and sun. / All the children can be one.”
“It’s time to head back home,” the narrator concludes. “You’ve touched the Earth in so many ways.” Who knew it would be so easy to clean the place up and give everyone a drink? (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5107-2083-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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BOOK REVIEW
Zoey discovers that she can see magical creatures that might need her help.
That’s a good thing because her mother has been caring for the various beasts since childhood, but now she’s leaving on a business trip so the work will fall to Zoey. Most people (like Zoey’s father) can’t see the magical creatures, so Zoey, who appears in illustrations to be black, will have to experiment with their care by problem-solving using the scientific method to determine appropriate treatment and feeding. When a tiny, sick dragon shows up on her doorstep, she runs an experiment and determines that marshmallows appear to be the proper food. Unfortunately, she hadn’t done enough research beforehand to understand that although dragons might like marshmallows, they might not be the best food for a sick, fire-breathing baby. Although the incorporation of important STEM behaviors is a plus, the exposition is mildly clunky, with little character development and stilted dialogue. Many pages are dense with large-print text, related in Zoey’s not especially childlike voice. However, the inclusion in each chapter of a couple of attractive black-and-white illustrations of round-faced people and Zoey’s mischievous cat helps break up the narrative.
In spite of the book’s flaws, dragons are very appealing, and tales for young audiences that model the scientific method are nice to see. (Fantasy. 6-9)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943147-08-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: The Innovation Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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