A super early reader title.
A super game of hide-and-seek turns into a rescue mission.
Superman and Krypto the Super-Dog are flying high over the city of Metropolis enjoying a game of hide-and-seek. When Superman flies into a cave high in the mountains, he doesn’t suspect a chunk of kryptonite lurks within the cave’s walls. Weakened by the substance of his homeworld, Superman must count on Krypto to save the day. This early reader is charmingly illustrated with bold, approachable lines and a simple color palette that will spark young readers to break out their own crayons and draw some new adventures for the Man of Steel. The story’s simplicity is neatly geared to those familiar with the broad strokes of Superman but not up to the nitty-gritty details of his decadeslong mythology quite yet. The text is full of standard sight words, making this an excellent read for those just starting both to read and to get into the world of superheroes. There’s one citizen in Metropolis that’s a person of color, but Superman’s world remains a mostly white one.
A super early reader title. (Early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5158-7176-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
An ideal introduction to this familiar waterfowl—readers will enjoy diving right in.
Mallard ducks catch the attention of an observant young narrator. Join in on her day’s travels to learn a lot about these quacking creatures.
Quacks appear in graduated type from large to small to begin this informational gem. The daily activities of a young girl propel the easy-flowing language full of ducky details. Perfectly placed additional facts in smaller and similar-in-tone text are included on each spread. These seamless complements serve to explain unfamiliar terms such as “preening,” “dabbling” and “upending.” While Davies’ text gently informs, Rubbino’s mixed-media illustrations, done in a subdued palette of watery greens, grays and browns, truly impress. Mama ducks, drakes and ducklings alike hold the focus as they nest, search for food, swim, splash and sleep. The loose and childlike pictures capture essential details: the “secret patch of blue on each wing” and the “cute little curl on their tails.” At the end of the day (and book), readers find “The bridge is quiet, and there’s just the sound of rushing water and the stillness of the night.” But the page turn reveals another morning of “ducks—just ducks, down on the river that flows through the town.”
An ideal introduction to this familiar waterfowl—readers will enjoy diving right in. (index, note) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5936-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
Powered by whimsy and nostalgia, a doggone adorable tale of superheroes transforming the world for the better.
Can flying puppies, fueled by people’s hugs, save the world from gloom?
Light-skinned Snarly McBummerpants is busy sending out Mopey Smokes (evil-looking dark brown clouds) from his volcano on the Island of Woe to create a sad state of affairs. But the caped puppies, each equipped with a rocket and hailing from “the outer reaches of NOT-FROM-HERE,” use their abilities to conquer the morose McBummerpants and bring happiness back to everyone’s lives. The meticulously detailed illustrations carry the story, dark colors turning to rainbow hues and frowns turning to smiles. From Big Brad to Tiny Brad, the smallest, most powerful puppy, who “[licks] a kiss right on the tip of Snarly McBummerpants’s nose,” these absolutely endearing pooches elicit a universal “AWWWWWWWWWW!” from all who encounter them. Joyce’s witty illustrations depict diverse children and adults who appear to hail from different decades. Two teenagers wear the bobby socks and saddle shoes of the 1940s and ’50s and sit atop a retro soda cooler. Other kids ride the skateboards of a later era. Laurel and Hardy, classic movie performers who may need introduction, are amusingly pictured as bullies turned florists (a little odd, since only Hardy bullied Laurel). Even McBummerpants seems reminiscent of an old-time movie villain. The text is less inventive than the pictures, but the message of good over evil is always timely.
Powered by whimsy and nostalgia, a doggone adorable tale of superheroes transforming the world for the better. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665961332
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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