by Teri Daniels ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 1999
Two picture-book newcomers present life at school from the custodian’s perspective, and he, by necessity, concentrates on footprints. Handy Bob is a conscientious worker, bustling about shining doorknobs, and buffing the water fountain to a gleam, but “by far, the hardest job I do/is wiping after every shoe.” There are hundreds of footprints, thousands of them, and Bob swabs away each and every one; the kindergartners go by, the Brownies leave a trail of Girl-Scout-cookie crumbs, the soccer team makes an appearance, etc., until Bob is overwhelmed. An art class slops paint, second graders spread the paint around, a marching band finishes what the second graders began, but they also march the mess away when a bit of the glop sticks to every shoe. Bob is so happy that he doesn’t even notice the prints he leaves exiting the gym. The rhythm of the verse will likely keep readers attention for one read through, while Foster’s illustrations are unfocused and static: the children tend to wear similar expressions. A nice idea, but it has nowhere to go. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-890817-12-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1999
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by David Shannon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1999
The poster boy for relentless mischief-makers everywhere, first encountered in No, David! (1998), gives his weary mother a rest by going to school. Naturally, he’s tardy, and that’s but the first in a long string of offenses—“Sit down, David! Keep your hands to yourself! PAY ATTENTION!”—that culminates in an afterschool stint. Children will, of course, recognize every line of the text and every one of David’s moves, and although he doesn’t exhibit the larger- than-life quality that made him a tall-tale anti-hero in his first appearance, his round-headed, gap-toothed enthusiasm is still endearing. For all his disruptive behavior, he shows not a trace of malice, and it’ll be easy for readers to want to encourage his further exploits. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-48087-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999
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by Debi Gliori ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1999
Small, a very little fox, needs some reassurance from Large in the unconditional love department. If he is grim and grumpy, will he still be loved? “ ‘Oh, Small,’ said Large, ‘grumpy or not, I’ll always love you, no matter what.’ “ So it goes, in a gentle rhyme, as Large parries any number of questions that for Small are very telling. What if he were to turn into a young bear, or squishy bug, or alligator? Would a mother want to hug and hold these fearsome animals? Yes, yes, answers Large. “But does love wear out? Does it break or bend? Can you fix it or patch it? Does it mend?” There is comfort in Gliori’s pages, but it is a result of repetition and not the imagery; this is a quick fix, not an enduring one, but it eases Small’s fears and may well do the same for children. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-202061-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
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