Bill’s debut introduces young readers to the pika, a relative of rabbits and hares. Photographs follow one particular pika as he gathers a pile of plants in preparation for winter. Weasels and hawks are just two of the predators the pika must be wary of, and other pikas might try to steal his hard-won food stores. The narrative sees readers through the spring as the pika mates and the babies mature. The author’s conversational style builds a little suspense into her tale—readers will find themselves rooting for the tiny pika. A large font and relatively easy vocabulary make this a good choice for beginning readers. Jacobson’s photographs give readers a marvelous up-close view of the animals—most are shown at least half life-size. He captures the many particularities of this animal as well, from making sounds and intent listening to gathering plants and growing a winter coat. Prominently absent, however, are the pika babies the text mentions. The book also would have benefited from the inclusion of a map to help young readers in placing the pika’s Rocky Mountain habitat. A relatively in-depth and accessible look at a lesser-known animal. (pika facts, predators, family, resources, author note, glossary) (Informational picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: March 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59078-803-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2010
The wriggly narrator of Diary of a Worm (2003) puts in occasional appearances, but it’s his arachnid buddy who takes center stage here, with terse, tongue-in-cheek comments on his likes (his close friend Fly, Charlotte’s Web), his dislikes (vacuums, people with big feet), nervous encounters with a huge Daddy Longlegs, his extended family—which includes a Grandpa more than willing to share hard-won wisdom (The secret to a long, happy life: “Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)—and mishaps both at spider school and on the human playground. Bliss endows his garden-dwellers with faces and the odd hat or other accessory, and creates cozy webs or burrows colorfully decorated with corks, scraps, plastic toys and other human detritus. Spider closes with the notion that we could all get along, “just like me and Fly,” if we but got to know one another. Once again, brilliantly hilarious. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000153-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
Rylant (Henry and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers, 1998, etc.) slips into a sentimental mode for this latest outing of the boy and his dog, as she sends Mudge and Henry and his parents off on a camping trip. Each character is attended to, each personality sketched in a few brief words: Henry's mother is the camping veteran with outdoor savvy; Henry's father doesn't know a tent stake from a marshmallow fork, but he's got a guitar for campfire entertainment; and the principals are their usual ready-for-fun selves. There are sappy moments, e.g., after an evening of star- gazing, Rylant sends the family off to bed with: ``Everyone slept safe and sound and there were no bears, no scares. Just the clean smell of trees . . . and wonderful green dreams.'' With its nice tempo, the story is as toasty as its campfire and swaddled in Stevenson's trusty artwork. (Fiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-689-81175-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1998
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
