Ten undisciplined monsters visit school to learn their ABCs. A little boy reading at his desk finds himself surrounded by little furry creatures with pointed teeth, long tails and rhino-like horns. The alphabet lessons are embedded in the ample rhyming narrative. The boy begins his instruction with apple and book and crayon and desk, all items close at hand. But the mischievous monsters have other ideas, turning the classroom upside-down with an experiment (E). The little boy gets into the swing, until the antics of the monsters wear him out with jumping jacks (J) and such. They even chase the teacher, Mrs. Tubbins (T). Surprise visitors provide the X, Y & Z, just before Mrs. Tubbins chases all of the monster away with . . . homework! Refreshingly, the story stands on its own, and Munsinger’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations make the monsters adorable. Bonus: a pack of alphabet flash cards. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: June 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-316-15574-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A little red bird meets a lion and wonders why the end of his tail is a different color each day. The lion can't understand the bird's chirping questions, but he likes her cheerful company, and so they wander amiably together through fields and hills and splash in a mountain lake. One night, the gentle lion rescues the bird from a storm and brings her into his warm cave, which is decorated with paintings of the places they've seen together—paintings that the lion has made using the end of his tail as a brush. This joyous tale about the wordless discoveries of friendship is illustrated with mixed-media collages so richly colored and textured that readers will want to feel the pages. As in Abuela, the backgrounds, like medieval tapestries, are rich with flora, fauna, and other detail and spangled like the decorative paintings of Klimt. Enchanting. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: May 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-525-44898-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A light next installment featuring familiar themes.
Glue gains some sparkle with help from a new friend.
Whether securing Popsicle sticks and pompoms or bringing art to life with googly eyes, Glue is happy to help her friends create. But because her role relegates her to the background, she feels overlooked in the colorful shadows of Pencil and the Markers. Arriving uncapped, with a plume of purple and blue sparkles swirling about, is even more noticeable Glitter. Glue, doing what she does well, offers to stick some of Glitter’s sparkles down. But free-spirited Glitter is “meant to sparkle the entire world, not just one tiny spot!” A mishap might just open his mind and bring some shine to Glue’s life. In this third book, Kilpatrick and Blanco tackle individuality, confidence, and friendship. Glue’s contributions are vital and do not go unpraised by her friends, but she can’t help but feel invisible because her work is often unseen or physically transparent. Ultimately, the team-up with Glitter permanently transforms Glue: With the gift of some of Glitter’s sparkle, Glue’s work is hard to miss. Blanco’s mixed-media illustrations bring texture across the bright white backdrops of the pages. The minimalist art and short narrative result in a simple and cheery, if slightly didactic, message about uplifting less obvious achievements. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A light next installment featuring familiar themes. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-81760-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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