An enjoyable tale that follows a boy on a stirring quest.
A Tanzanian schoolboy makes a pilgrimage to a mountain.
In this bilingual illustrated children’s book, Rotbart tells the story of Riyaz, a 9-year-old boy attending school in Dar es Salaam, far from his home. During class, Riyaz can often be found staring out the window at Mount Kilimanjaro, a place he longs to visit. One day, he convinces the headmaster he has been invited to spend the weekend with his uncle—who does not exist—and, along with two classmates, sets off for the mountain. The boys quickly discover that Kilimanjaro is farther away than they thought, and their jaunt becomes a multiday trek. They catch a ride from an older man—whose goat rides in the front seat of his truck while the boys pile into the back—and they walk the rest of the way. They spend their nights outside, wondering if wild animals are lurking in the shadows. When they finally reach the mountain, Riyaz is thrilled to accomplish his goal. A tour bus brings them back to school, where Riyaz is shocked to discover that his teachers realized he was missing. He accepts a punishment he knows he deserves, bolstered by the knowledge that the magnificent mountain still calls to him. The English-language story is solidly written by the author and smoothly translated into Spanish by Flores. The corresponding text in English and Spanish appears on facing pages. Farrar’s colorful illustrations add visual interest and deftly bring Riyaz’s world to life. The tale is close to an early reader level of complexity. The plot is engaging, though simple, and although the cover indicates that the work is based on a true story, no information about the real Riyaz is provided, so the audience may be left wondering.
An enjoyable tale that follows a boy on a stirring quest.Pub Date: March 20, 2020
ISBN: 979-8628744895
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p>
Caregiver-child love abounds in this rhyming board book full of animal puns.
One thing’s for certain, there’s plenty of sweet (and groanworthy) sentiments in this book. Rossner writes, “Giving HOGS and kisses / sends me to the moon!” and, “I’m such a lucky DUCK. / You really QUACK me up!” The book progresses entirely in this fashion, with a new animal pair and pun with each page turn. It reads well as a book for a caregiver to share with a lap-sitting child. On that mark, it succeeds in providing plenty of opportunities for giggles and snuggles. That said, at times the meter is forced, making the cadence a bit stilted, and the cuddles/bubbles rhyme is a dubious one. This is an issue for a book that will almost solely be read aloud. Gibson’s illustrations are very charming; the animals and insects with big eyes and expressive faces have high appeal. The warmth of the animals’ embraces and cuddles translates well from the page, inviting the same snuggles from readers. Decorated eggs appear on each page, and the bunny pair from the cover features prominently. Overall, the concept and message of the book are high interest and age-appropriate, but it doesn’t stand out from the very crowded shelf of “I love you, little one!” books similar to it.
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p> (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2343-8
Page Count: 25
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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