Not a visual inspiration; at most, a jumping-off point about Casa Battló.
A fictionalized origin story of a real architectural marvel.
“Carmen Batlló, our very important visitor is here!” calls Carmen’s family, trying to lure her out of the woods around their country home. She’s reluctant. Nature comforts her, and when she’s alone, she can talk to her “invisible salamander,” Dragon, a huge, pale green, imaginary creature. The visitor is Antoni Gaudí, who, over time, designs a stunningly unusual city house for Carmen’s family. Gaudí, the Batlló family, and Casa Batlló—built between 1904 and 1906 in Barcelona—are all real; Hughes’ fancy is that Gaudí bases his wildly creative design on a personal, shared understanding with little Carmen about nature and Dragon. When the curving, glittering Casa Batlló reaches completion, Ferrer’s art does it tolerable justice. The front is shown with sinuous lines and covered in multicolored tiles (though the hues are off, and dark trees that flank it dominate), a blue room is depicted with layers of light as if undersea, and the undulating roof is pictured as a sculpture of, specifically, Dragon. Earlier, the illustrations are odd, portraying Carmen’s (and Gaudí’s) beloved nature scenes—supposedly wondrous because they’re devoid of “sharp corners”—as full of dark, ominous plants sharp enough to cut and sinister tertiary colors with mustard tones. The final house looks passably striking, though far less sparkly and unconventional than it should—as demonstrated with a closing photograph.
Not a visual inspiration; at most, a jumping-off point about Casa Battló. (author’s note, selected sources) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77147-392-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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