by Steve Smallman ; illustrated by Neil Price ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2017
A watered-down rendition…sexist too.
A bored princess switches places with a shepherd boy—and then decides to make her new job more exciting.
Smallman changes the mischief-maker’s gender and adds a few flourishes, but by concocting a happy ending he turns a psychologically acute cautionary tale into a superficial lesson. Pouting at her castle window, Princess Arabella sees how happy Tom the shepherd looks down below, so she has her soldiers drag the reluctant lad away to be washed in scented bubble bath and “forced to eat fancy food.” Meanwhile, when watching sheep proves to be less than thrilling Arabella repeatedly summons the increasingly irritated villagers with bogus cries of “WOLF! WOLF!” or “TROLL! TROLL!” Finally Tom, as “prince,” gives everyone permission to ignore her. But when a fire-breathing dragon descends, he rushes out himself and, as Arabella looks on helplessly, drives the creature away with a perfunctory pail of water. Arabella thanks him, laughs good-naturedly as she switches back to princess, and from then on always tells the truth. Despite gushes of flame, neither sheep nor any member of the all-white human cast comes to harm in Price’s correspondingly bland illustrations. Discussion questions and suggestions for enrichment activities cap this uninspired effort.
A watered-down rendition…sexist too. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68297-155-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Quarto
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2017
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by Lindsay Bonilla ; illustrated by Mark Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2023
Amusing but a little off tempo.
It’s important to hit all the right notes.
A tan-skinned musical composer with puffy black hair is busy at work on his next musical masterpiece when Half Note, a music symbol denoting two beats, feels unappreciated. Half Note is jealous of the more commonly used Quarter Note (one beat) and Eighth Note. Although the other musical symbols attempt to calm and comfort Half Note, she decides to run away. The next day, Composer needs Half Note and panics when he realizes that she’s gone. The other notes and musical symbols try to find her, but it’s only when they try to play her favorite song, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” without her—with terrible results—that she comes running back. The story’s humor—which is largely based on “dad joke” puns—is completely dependent on readers’ musical knowledge. The artwork, a mix of acrylic and colored pencil, attempts to add some allegrezza to the piece, and while it’s not unsuccessful, it’s facing an uphill battle. Music teachers and musically minded caregivers may find some value in this story, but it will likely be too specialized for general readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Amusing but a little off tempo. (glossary) (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-64567-631-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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by David Goodner ; illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 27, 2020
A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely
Two friends embark upon a high-seas adventure.
Kondo, a large lemon-colored creature with wide round eyes, spends his day on his island home with his best friend, tangerine-hued Kezumi. Together, they frolic on their idyllic isle picking berries (tall Kondo nabs the higher fruit while Kezumi helps to retrieve the lower) while surrounded by tiny “flitter-birds” and round “fluffle-bunnies.” One day, Kezumi finds a map in a bottle that declares “WE ARE NOT ALONE.” Inspired by visions of a larger world, Kondo and Kezumi fashion a boat from a bathtub and set sail. The pair visits fantastical islands—deliciously cheese-laden Dairy Isle, the fiery and fearsome Fireskull Island—until they eventually settle upon the titular Giant Island, where they meet Albert, a gigantic gray talking mountain who is—obviously—unable to leave. Enthralled by his new friends, Albert wants them to stay forever. After Albert makes a fraught decision, Kondo and Kezumi find themselves at a crossroads and must confront their new friend. Goodner and Tsurumi’s brightly illustrated chapter book should find favor with fans of Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen’s similarly designed Mercy Watson series. Short, wry, descriptive sentences make for an equally enjoyable experience whether read aloud or independently. Episodic chapters move the action along jauntily; the conclusion is somewhat abrupt, but it promises more exploration and adventures for the best friends. (This review was originally published in the June 1, 2019, issue. The book data has been updated to reflect changes in publisher and date of publication.)
A story of friendship that is both lively and lovely (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-368-02577-5
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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