Not, alas, as tasty as its topic.
Somewhere in southern Mexico a hen (who is, of course, little and red) is hankering for some guacamole.
But her otherwise-occupied neighbors, who all agree that “Nothing beats a tasty guacamole,” won’t join in the gathering of the essential ingredients. The coati’s “hanging out,” the snake’s “all tied up,” the armadillo’s “gotta jump,” and the iguana is working on a tan. The hen manages to gather everything she needs, including one giant, red jalapeño—concealing it from the genial but unhelpful cast of characters. When the guacamole is shared all about, the chicken’s secret ingredient has her friends blowing their tops. “ ‘HOLY SQUAWKAMOLE!’ they all hollered. ‘THAT’S A SMOKIN’ HOT GUACAMOLE!’ ” Wood’s retelling of this well-known tale of reaping what you sow meanders along, raising questions throughout. Why are masa and cumin mentioned on the first page when neither is needed to make guacamole? Another puzzle arises from the author’s choice for the protagonist. She makes a point of selecting animal sidekicks native to Mexico but misses an opportunity to use the native turkey instead of the standard chicken. Also, there is both misinformation in the appendix (Aztecs did not use cilantro; it likely arrived with the Spaniards) and the confusing addition of Japanese, French, and Caribbean spins on guacamole. González’s colorful digital art is generically cute but as texturally flat and lackluster as the story itself.
Not, alas, as tasty as its topic. (recipe, glossary) (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2253-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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