Although sweet, this story about a polar bear in search of fish and chips skates on thin ice—the appealing cartoons can’t...
In the footsteps of Paddington, another bear travels alone to London, getting in trouble with the law.
Snowpo, a cheery polar bear cub, has flown to London and is hungry after his long journey. “His tummy rumbled for fish and chips, / He looked at London and licked his lips.” Before he knows it, though, he’s arrested for disturbing the peace and must rely on a friendly lawyer to help defend him in court. The cartoon illustrations, with their bright colors and exaggerated expressions, are appealing and funny, but the story doesn’t deliver. It is never quite clear why Snowpo is arrested, a crucial step that sets the whole story in motion. While the resolution is charming—Snowpo and the judge bond over their common love of fish and chips—the judge’s decision is silly beyond reason. The narration, word highlighting and pacing work well in combination with the lock-step rhyming couplets, but the use of British punctuation conventions may trip up American readers. The interactive elements are quite shallow and will not sustain readers’ attention, though they may be entertaining at first. Each page includes a question or puzzle, but they do not develop readers’ understanding of the story, and no answers are provided.
Although sweet, this story about a polar bear in search of fish and chips skates on thin ice—the appealing cartoons can’t make up for the gaping plot holes . (iPad storybook app. 4-6)Pub Date: May 6, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Tinkertanker
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings.
The Crayons head back to class in this latest series entry.
Daywalt’s expository text lays out the basics as various Crayons wave goodbye to the beach, choose a first-day outfit, greet old friends, and make new ones. As in previous outings, the perennially droll illustrations and hand-lettered Crayon-speak drive the humor. The ever wrapperless Peach, opining, “What am I going to wear?” surveys three options: top hat and tails, a chef’s toque and apron, and a Santa suit. New friends Chunky Toddler Crayon (who’s missing a bite-sized bit of their blue point) and Husky Toddler Crayon speculate excitedly on their common last name: “I wonder if we’re related!” White Crayon, all but disappearing against the page’s copious white space, sits cross-legged reading a copy of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. And Yellow and Orange, notable for their previous existential argument about the color of the sun, find agreement in science class: Jupiter, clearly, is yellow AND orange. Everybody’s excited about art class—“Even if they make a mess. Actually…ESPECIALLY if they make a mess!” Here, a spread of crayoned doodles of butterflies, hearts, and stars is followed by one with fulsome scribbles. Fans of previous outings will spot cameos from Glow in the Dark and yellow-caped Esteban (the Crayon formerly known as Pea Green). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621110
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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