Blackstone uses her old standby style of inconsistent rhyming verse to describe the beasts a young boy met when he dreamt he was a dinosaur. The animals are anthropomorphized with names, and little is to be learned about them from the text itself, which lacks a storyline: “Here is Sammy Stegosaurus / Busy foraging for food. / He likes Kay Camarasaurus, / But she’s in a grumpy mood.” While not all the dinosaurs are identified within the text, there is picture dictionary in the back with a pronunciation key and a few facts about each prehistoric beast. Beaton’s illustrations are what make this stand out from others on the shelf. They are a collection of materials: Felt makes up the dinosaurs and backgrounds, with antique fabrics, sequins, beads, buttons and bric-a-brac lending details. Children will take pleasure in identifying the various materials, as well as the textural element their inclusion adds to the pictures. Enjoyable for the illustrations, not for the mediocre text. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-84148-238-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2005
In this entry in the Growing Tree series, the publisher copyrights the text, while Carpenter provides illustrations for the story; here, the three billy goats named Gruff play on a nasty troll’s greed to get where the grass is greenest. Logic has never been the long suit of this tale: Instead of letting the two smaller billy goats be terrorized by the mean and ugly troll, children wonder, why doesn’t the biggest billy goat step in sooner? It’s still a good introduction to comparatives, and the repetitiveness of the story invites participation. The artwork matches the story: The characters are suitably menacing, quivering, or stalwart, and the perspectives allow readers to be right there in the thick of the action. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: June 30, 1998
ISBN: 0-694-01033-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
Good deeds beget good deeds in this graphically bold and bright celebration of benevolence. Hen gives Pig an egg, a kindness that inspires him to give a carrot to Rabbit, who in turn picks flowers for Cow, and so on until Pig returns the initial favor by presenting Hen with a chick—hatched from her original egg. The clever turn of events leaves readers wondering if Hen has hornswoggled Pig into doing the work of hatching her egg, or if she is simply thanking him for the gift? The youngest readers and listeners will not be distracted by such concerns and will enjoy shouting out “How kind!” as it’s repeated throughout the text; they may also be inspired to emulate the animals and take turns doing one another kindnesses. Electric pink, sky blue, yellow, orange, purple, and tennis-ball-green ink-and-wash illustrations outlined in heavy black add to the cheer and are complemented by the loose yet readable typeface, created by and named for Murphy (Koala and the Flower, not reviewed, etc.). For just plain storytime fun or for introducing the concept of karma, this is a winner. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7636-1732-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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