by Wendy Mould & illustrated by Wendy Mould ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 17, 2001
Talk about imaginary friends—this entire bestiary is conjured to rescue Jacob from a morning of shopping with his mother. Jacob is toasty in his pajamas and happy playing with his trains when his mother warbles: “We have to go shopping and it’s time to get dressed.” Jacob is miffed. “I want to stay here today,” he retorts, but no dice. So Jacob starts a delaying tactic: with each article of clothing his mother has him put on, he finds a creature crawling or dressed in it. There are ants in his pants, for goodness sakes, and fox in his socks and geese in his fleece, a goat in his coat and newts in his boots. With mildly growing irritation, his mother says she can’t see the animals, but really, says Jacob, there are kittens in his mittens and a bat in his hat . . . Until, voilà, they open the door and there really is snow on the ground. “ ‘This is fun,’ shouted Jacob. ‘Let’s just stay home and play.’ ” His mother assents and returns inside for her hat; guess who is sitting inside that? Jacob’s creative stalling will find plenty of eager students in young readers, and that cat enshrined like a Buddha in the mother’s hat a perfect subversion of reality versus fantasy. Mould’s lovely line-and-wash drawing keep this contest of wills from ever having too sharp an edge. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2001
ISBN: 0-618-09640-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2001
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by Katherine Ayres & illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2007
Inside a colorful garden, some plants “grow up,” while others “grow down, and still others grow “around and around.” This catchy, rhyming refrain, with some variation, introduces children to an abundance of garden vegetables and legumes, including corn, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, beets, green beans, okra, onions and tomatoes, as well as the ambiguous pumpkin, and follows them from seed to plant to lunch. The different plants are shown sprouting under and above ground, and youngsters will delight in the bird- and mole’s-eye perspectives. Energetic watercolor-and-ink illustrations, inhabited by multiracial tots, a farmer, a scarecrow, friendly bugs, worms, crows, rabbits and, of course, a plethora of seeds, plants and produce, are a feast for the eyes and will whet children’s appetites for further knowledge—and for a very healthy lunch. An inviting introduction to the wonder of plants, food and gardening, this charming selection will be a favorite of teachers, students and home readers alike. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-7636-2378-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2007
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by Katherine Ayres & illustrated by Tricia Tusa
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by Kimiko Kajikawa & illustrated by Ed Young ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2009
Through quick thinking and personal sacrifice, a wise old Japanese farmer saves the people of his village from a devastating tsunami in this simple yet striking story based on Lafcadio Hearn’s “A Living God.” Ojiisan lives in a cottage on a mountain overlooking the village and sea. One day, villagers gather to celebrate the rice harvest, but Ojiisan stays home thinking “something does not feel right.” When the earth quakes and the sea darkens and runs away from the land, Ojiisan realizes a tsunami approaches. Fearing the oblivious villagers will be swept away, Ojiisan torches his rice fields to attract attention, and they respond, barely escaping the monster wave. Rendered in gouache, pastel and collage, Young’s illustrations cleverly combine natural textures, bold colors and abstract shapes to convey compelling images of chaos and disaster as the rice fields burn and the wave rushes in. In one literally breathtaking double-page spread, an enormous wall of water engulfs the teeny seacoast village. A visually powerful and dramatic tribute to one man’s willingness to sacrifice everything for others. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25006-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2008
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