"Five bored Vikings went out hiking," looking for adventure...or just something to do. Gangly Loggi Longsocks (in shades of pink from head to toe and sporting a skull belt buckle) suggests catching a dragon and making a stew. In no time, they load a ship with supplies and set sail. When a giant orange squid attacks their ship, they tie its tentacles into knots. They travel a long time—until all their sandwiches are gone. Luckily, a passing killer whale guides them to Dragon Island, where an enormous pile of poo tells them they're on the right track; they climb a rocky hill that turns out to be the dragon, who sets all their pants on fire as they flee. Smallman's text, in phonetically crunchy verse, bounces humorously along, and Wildish makes each member of the Viking quintet deliciously distinct. The ending's a bit of a letdown, but readers both young and old should laugh at the resemblance of these ragtag Vikings to resourceful kids battling boredom in the backyard. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-56148-695-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Good Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
Categories: CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Young dragon lovers not quite ready for the film How to Train Your Dragon will appreciate this gentle, imaginative account of what having a dragon as a pet might be like.
Charming digital art features a bright-red, not-too-scary dragon, who starts out small at "Eddie's Exotic Pets." Exotic he may be, but with understated humor he's shown doing all kinds of regular-pet stuff: going to the vet for a checkup, sticking his head out the car window on the way home (except this pet's head sticks out of the sunroof), chewing on a shoe, going for a walk on a leash (except he flies, rather than walks) and more. The goofy expression on Sparky's face is just like that of an eager, friendly puppy, complete with tongue hanging out, and is especially funny when he's scaring folks unintentionally (sticking his head in the schoolroom window for show-and-tell, for example). The wry tone of the text complements the illustrations' comedy, especially in issuing some cautionary advice: "(But don't give them broccoli. It gives them gas. And you don't want a fire-breathing dragon with gas.)"
Boy and dragon close their day with a bedtime read ("Knight Boy," which looks like a graphic novel featuring a familiar-looking red dragon); this amiable story can help real-life families do the same. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58089-278-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2011
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A young entrepreneur is ready to sell homemade lemonade, but everyone else has already staked out the best spots.
The nameless narrator rolls a colorful stand through the diverse city neighborhood and just keeps on going until reaching the countryside. Pushing it up a hill, the kid loses control, and the tall stand with the lemon on top goes careening through the woods until it finally stops near a river. Unexpectedly, a customer arrives! The kid serves up, and then a steady stream of customers float by: an octopus, two alligators, a sea monster, a diver in an old-fashioned helmet, and more. The kid needs to make more lemonade on the spot. After selling out and trudging home, the kid sleeps through the night dreaming about a future riverside lemonade empire. Careful readers will spot many reminders of the adventure in the kid’s bedroom. A toy octopus’s tentacles overflow from a chest, a diver’s helmet sits on the floor, pictures of sea animals and boats adorn the walls. The lines between reality and fantasy blur…but the tip jar is full. Bright cartoon illustrations are full of funny details (the lemonade-stand sign smiles and frowns expressively), and the alliterative text begs to be read aloud: “I sat for a long while, feeling terrible as a turnip,” the kid grumps at one point. The narrator has textured black hair and a ruddy complexion. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Encouragement for moguls-to-be and fun for everyone else. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2828-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
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