Sublime
A small boy's imaginative play tames his father’s fears.
Dutch author Veldkamp (Little Monkey's Big Peeing Circus, 2006) revisits the circus theme to gentler effect. Tom, desperate for his father’s attention, builds first a snail trapeze and then a squirrel circus, but his father’s fear of animals keeps him indoors. Tom needs a new show, so he heads to "Paws, Claws, Beaks & Bugs," where he announces himself as Tom the Tamer and asks if there are any animals that still need to be tamed. Hamster? Small dog? "I was thinking of a polar bear," says Tom. His knack as a tamer soon has an affable bear lending its furry self to Tom's circus, disguised in its off time as a piece of furniture. The new comfy chair by the fire is joined by flamingo drapes, an octopus chandelier and a three-hippo sofa, all wearing hiding-in-plain-sight looks of nonchalance. In on the game, and in a nod to Tenniel, is a white rabbit. The show is about to begin. But will it work? The father, finally the strong man that Tom needs, throws caution to the wind as he finds joy in an exuberant circus pyramid. Hopman’s luminous double-page spreads of soft watercolor and loose pen-and-ink lines lend humor to this multilayered story. Children will pick up subtle clues in the illustrations to the source of the father's emotional distance and the healing power of play.
Sublime . (Picture Book. 4–7)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-9359-5405-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lemniscaat USA
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
Original and absorbing.
In this Swiss import, words come to life—literally—as a young boy squishes, stretches, and hurls them through the air.
Oscar digs up a chest filled with jumbled-up words. He pulls out fluorescent, straightens it out, then tosses it at a nearby hedgehog, who suddenly becomes awash in neon. And that’s just the beginning. He uses hairy to give an old oak tree a trendy new ’do, transforms a beetle into a hulking, “monstrous” creature (he quickly undoes that change with adorable), and, with help from lightweight, lifts a backhoe in the air using just one hand. After Oscar runs out of words, he turns to a neighbor who has her own stash of words. She teaches him that he can find words just about anywhere, as long as he’s observant: “Use them with care and you can make the world blossom.” With her encouragement, he does just that. This vocabulary-rich story is visually striking and quietly powerful. Full of unusual words like bulbous, tender-leafed, and velvety, it leaves readers with pages full of unnamed images ripe for the claiming. The illustrations are whimsical and playful while also making concrete something that is utterly abstract. Oscar’s world has an exaggerated, off-kilter feel; with the earthy palette and changing perspectives, the art is a strong match for the storytelling. Most characters are light-skinned.
Original and absorbing. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2025
ISBN: 9780735845602
Page Count: 48
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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