This offbeat pictorial adventure won't be to all tastes, but it should prompt storytelling fun for both adults and children.
A scene of pastoral calm and beauty spins out into chaos.
The story is told entirely in pictures, 12 busy two-page spreads. Many things are happening on a wide stretch of bright green grass, with the edge of a forest in the background. A mother squirrel and her young son walk down a grassless path, two rats sunbathe side by side, a mother rabbit lays out a picnic for a variety of small animals. (All the animal characters wear clothing and walk on two feet.) In the background are four small houses. The third shows a mishap, with a dog in a striped shirt outside working hard at making a cake. His efforts are continually disrupted, first by an errant soccer ball and then by another dog, clad in dress and apron, chasing a fly. As the pages turn, the activity continues and accelerates. The pigs who live in the second house do some painting on a ladder; three monkeys perch on the roof of the first house; a fox and rabbit dig a deep hole near the path. Activity turns to bedlam, with a raccoon tracking paint into the fourth house and the ladder toppling over and almost everyone rushing into the woods. What exactly is happening? Much is left for the reader's imagination to fill in.
This offbeat pictorial adventure won't be to all tastes, but it should prompt storytelling fun for both adults and children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-8775-7910-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Boy and dragon close their day with a bedtime read ("Knight Boy," which looks like a graphic novel featuring a...
Young dragon lovers not quite ready for the film How to Train Your Dragon will appreciate this gentle, imaginative account of what having a dragon as a pet might be like.
Charming digital art features a bright-red, not-too-scary dragon, who starts out small at "Eddie's Exotic Pets." Exotic he may be, but with understated humor he's shown doing all kinds of regular-pet stuff: going to the vet for a checkup, sticking his head out the car window on the way home (except this pet's head sticks out of the sunroof), chewing on a shoe, going for a walk on a leash (except he flies, rather than walks) and more. The goofy expression on Sparky's face is just like that of an eager, friendly puppy, complete with tongue hanging out, and is especially funny when he's scaring folks unintentionally (sticking his head in the schoolroom window for show-and-tell, for example). The wry tone of the text complements the illustrations' comedy, especially in issuing some cautionary advice: "(But don't give them broccoli. It gives them gas. And you don't want a fire-breathing dragon with gas.)"
Boy and dragon close their day with a bedtime read ("Knight Boy," which looks like a graphic novel featuring a familiar-looking red dragon); this amiable story can help real-life families do the same. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58089-278-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2011
A kid-friendly demonstration of how we can all make the world a more loving place.
A youngster spreads love throughout the community.
The tan-skinned narrator makes tiny paper hearts. “The hearts don’t say ‘I love you,’” explains the protagonist, “but, kind of, they do—when you share them.” The child gives the hearts to friends, family, and neighbors while finding other ways to show love: drawing a picture of a cat for a pal, delivering cookies to a neighbor, and reading a story to a younger sibling. With the paper hearts now all gone, the child comes to an important realization: “I find love everywhere, being shared in a hundred different ways from hearts of all shapes and sizes.” Cotterill’s illustrations—hand-built sets that were then photographed—bring the narrative to life, giving it a three-dimensional, textured feel. The child’s handful of paper hearts pop off the page, while the bag of cookies looks real enough to hold. Movement and depth are so effectively conveyed that some images feel like video stills. This moving story will empower children to find ways to positively influence their own communities. The acts of service are practical and realistic, making this a perfect tale to share with preschoolers and early elementary school students. In her author’s note, Vickers discusses how she drew inspiration from an activity she implemented years ago at children’s classes at her church. People depicted vary in terms of skin tone and ability.
A kid-friendly demonstration of how we can all make the world a more loving place. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781665929769
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
© 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.
