A little parental TLC finally calms the storm, as it usually does.
A young child presents a catalogue of timeless irritations and injustices in a 1976 outing with art and text lightly massaged and reformatted for newly independent readers.
From “When I do something nice and no one cares…” or “When you get mad at ME and I didn’t do it…” to “When I NEED you and you make me WAIT…” Nina’s complaints range from actual injustice to self-absorbed whining and so have near-universal applicability. Each general grievance is paired to a specific incident detailed in comic-book–style panels on the facing page, such as a painting that distracted parents don’t praise properly, a promise of ice cream that doesn’t pan out, a playmate who abruptly runs off with someone else or clothing that just won’t go on the right way. Fresh and buoyant despite the old-style television or occasional other period detail, Knight’s art places Nina—short haired, dressed in overalls and looking androgynous, in contrast to the girlier figure that Christine Davenier made of her in a 2002 edition (published as That Makes Me Mad)—between siblings in a comfortably domestic setting. He captures her feelings in a broad range of wonderfully expressive body language ranging from hunched-shoulder, irritated frowns to melodramatic sprawls. A posthumous publication for Kroll; Knight is still going strong and working on an autobiography.
A little parental TLC finally calms the storm, as it usually does. (Graphic early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-935179-10-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: TOON/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011
This sheep-in-everyboy’s-clothing returns for a third set of edifying neighborhood encounters: with archrival Mandy Dinkus in a closet (it’s complicated); manners coach Ms. Bottoms; a roller coaster; and the really old, but surprisingly un-scary Stagglemyers. As before, Johnny emerges from each meeting a little wiser—discovering, for instance, that he prefers the Duckie-Go-Round to the roller coaster, and later actually working with Mandy to head off a possible romantic connection between their respective single parents. Separated by recipes—of sorts: “Mutton soup is 100% melted vanilla ice cream with a cherry on top”—Proimos tells each tale in minimally detailed, brightly colored cartoon panels, with dialogue floating in balloons. Think Ricky Ricotta, without the violence. (Easy reader. 6-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-15-216772-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2004
The little mouse with the big personality skips through a third set of mini trials and triumphs, presented in two-color graphic novel-style panels. Having daydreamed her way through the last day of school (“Good-bye, dumb fractions!”) and even cleaned out her locker, Babymouse bounds eagerly into the car for a getaway to the beach. But what with crowds, surfboard wipeouts, sunburn, the odd shark and trying to keep adoring little sibling Squeak at arm’s length (which isn’t quite far enough to avoid the fallout, so to speak, of occasional bouts of motion sickness), the vacation starts to look like a big fizzle: “Typical!” to quote Babymouse’s watchword. Pairing short bits of text in a “hand-lettered” font to small but clear scenes drawn with dark lines and pink highlights, the authors tell a quick, funny tale that ends on a warm note, with Babymouse discovering that wipeouts are more fun when shared with her biggest little fan. Emergent readers will cheer “Babymouse!” right along with Squeak. (Graphic novel. 6-8)
Pub Date: May 23, 2006
ISBN: 0-375-83231-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2006
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