A good introduction that should be paired with some other books to round out and develop kids’ understanding of money and...
Three mismatched teacups from the cupboard are not exactly what a 5-year-old boy hopes to receive for a birthday gift, but with some parental guidance, they help set them on a path to sound financial well-being.
An accompanying envelope holds the very first installment of his allowance and the promise of future “adventures.” “Saving, Spending, and Giving.… Doing all three things as you keep growing up … that’s the adventure.” And he is off to a good start. A trip to the bank to open a savings account teaches the boy about interest, several weeks of scrimping allow him to finally buy a baseball glove and a school food drive for needy families puts his giving cup to good use. While the boy and his family are idealized, and “experiences” or “opportunities” might better replace “adventures” for literal-minded young readers, the three-cup system is an excellent way to instill lifelong money habits in children, and this book does a good job presenting it. Willy’s soft-focus illustrations are full of warmth, clearly showing the emotions that accompany each of the child’s monetary decisions. Backmatter includes a parent’s guide to beginning the three cup system. Missing, though, are any guidelines on how to divvy up the money among the cups percentage-wise. And while readers learn that the boy used his savings for college, there are no discussions about other ways his money could be used.
A good introduction that should be paired with some other books to round out and develop kids’ understanding of money and allowances. (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4003-1749-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2011
With this series, youngsters will find reading smooth sailing and look forward to future escapades. Next up: The circus...
In the third installment of the endearing Three-Ring Rascals chapter books, Sir Sidney’s circus brings cruise-ship entertainment to a new level, and Brambles’ heart grows as large as an ocean.
Sir Sidney continues to work with his manager, Barnabas Brambles, on being kind. Bert and Gert, the circus mice, see a long road ahead, but little do they know a sea change is coming. A letter from a Miss LaPasta arrives, inviting the circus aboard a cruise ship—all except Brambles! Miss LaPasta has “heard he’s the meanest man alive.” With that, Sir Sidney determines they will go, with Brambles. It’s only after they embark that they discover that Miss LaPasta is a lonely child who did not tell her mother, Capt. LaPasta, about the invitation. Worse, Sir Sidney is laid low by seasickness, while Brambles becomes lovesick for the captain. And although the ensemble thrills the passengers with their antics and acts, the unhappy captain sees ruin and disaster. Then they hit an iceberg! The adventures are captured in text that fully integrates art and speech bubbles, geography lessons are gratis, and the climax is marked by a meatball version of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.” All’s well that ends with wedding bells.
With this series, youngsters will find reading smooth sailing and look forward to future escapades. Next up: The circus tours Europe! (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61620-365-8
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
However appealing the device, this pales in comparison to the many other, superior animal alphabets already out there.
This German abecedary uses an imaginative device in which a series of animals arrives at a new zoo.
Rhyming descriptions feature each creature’s characteristics as the zookeeper and his assistant interact with the new arrivals. “When she glided in across the rug, / Our ANACONDA gave me a hug. / As the first one here, I guess she’s the winner, / But why does she keep on mentioning dinner?” (Presumably the translation and the necessity to rhyme force the contextually peculiar “rug.”) The illustration shows the snake wrapped around the keeper and wearing his cap. The first-person narration is carried throughout. Some animal choices are unusual; D is for Dromedary, while C is for Chameleon, for instance. H is for Hare, not rabbit, and N is for Nile crocodile. For the challenging letters, Q is for Quoll, U for Uakari and X for Xinusil (a “martian…from the moon”). The interactions of the two men with the animals add some nuanced humor. The subtitle states the book is an ABC and a counting book, but the counting part is incidental; 26 numbers run across the tops of the pages, with each ascending number highlighted. There is no legend to the animals.
However appealing the device, this pales in comparison to the many other, superior animal alphabets already out there. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-3-89955-714-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Little Gestalten
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
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