A visually stunning folktale that could benefit from further plot and character development.
Gamarra offers an illustrated children’s tale inspired by Japanese folklore about a mischievous child and a mythical creature.
The story centers on Kai, a boy who lives in the town of Willow Creek and loves storytelling. He shares a tale with his friends about water-dwelling Kappas—green creatures who have turtlelike skin, webbed fingers, and bowl-shaped heads filled with water. They’re tricksters who snatch children, Kai says, so one must keep their distance and speak respectfully to them. Kai’s storytelling scares the kids, and a nearby baker, Mr. Peterson, tells him to stop. The boy retreats to a creek and cries out, “Kappas, come out and get me if you can!” Nothing happens, but Kai runs back to town, shouting that a Kappa tried to get him. Mr. Peterson and the children come to the creek but see no Kappas. Later, Kai tries to find a Kappa again, and a terrifying creature with froglike eyes, stringy hair, and a gap-toothed grin emerges from the water. The Kappa invites the boy for a swim and tries to grab him. Kai remembers to be respectful and apologizes for his teasing and lies. The Kappa bows before disappearing into the creek. Kai runs back to town to report the sighting, but no one believes him; still, whenever someone calls out “Kappa,” the children bow, just in case. Gamarra explores themes of honesty, politeness, and consequences in this children’s book, and her protagonist embodies a relatable curiosity and rascality that will draw readers in. The prose is detailed and evocative, especially regarding the Kappa’s appearance: “A crown of slick, black hair surrounded the strange bowl-like head, neatly balancing the water inside as if it were a little pond.” Pilosio’s intricate full-color illustrations, feature varied textures and create an immersive, ancient ambiance for Kai’s adventures. However, although Gamarra sustains suspenseful tension throughout the book, the confrontation with the Kappa feels oddly anticlimactic. It’s also unclear why Mr. Peterson, rather than a relative, is the only named adult in Kai’s life.
A visually stunning folktale that could benefit from further plot and character development.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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