by Wendy Pfeffer & illustrated by Linda Bleck ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2008
Continuing her tributes to the seasons, Pfeffer explores spring in her latest science/history title. Beginning with the signs and activities that herald spring’s arrival, there is a short explanation of the spring equinox. Following this are succinct and interesting explanations of how various peoples throughout the world commemorate this day and the historical origins of their celebrations. The holidays include the Chinese New Year, No Ruz in Iran, Holi in India, Maslenitsa in Russia, the Jewish Passover, the Christian Easter as well as explanations of what the Maya in Mexico and the Cree in America did to mark the spring equinox. Several pages of spring crafts and recipes follow the text, along with a list of print and online resources. Bleck’s bright colors sing of spring, and she masterfully brings other cultures to life, capturing the essential parts of each celebration. Unfortunately, in the one illustration depicting the earth in its path around the sun, the seasons are labeled incorrectly: The North Pole is pointing away from the sun during the “summer solstice.” Still, with a corrected picture replacing this one page, this could be a valuable seasonal resource, as are the two previous (and correct) titles about winter and fall. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-525-47874-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008
Share your opinion of this book
More by Wendy Pfeffer
BOOK REVIEW
by Wendy Pfeffer ; illustrated by Paul Meisel
BOOK REVIEW
by Wendy Pfeffer & illustrated by Linda Bleck
BOOK REVIEW
by Wendy Pfeffer and illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
New York Times Bestseller
Caldecott Honor Book
by Brendan Wenzel ; illustrated by Brendan Wenzel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
A solo debut for Wenzel showcasing both technical chops and a philosophical bent.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
New York Times Bestseller
Caldecott Honor Book
Wouldn’t the same housecat look very different to a dog and a mouse, a bee and a flea, a fox, a goldfish, or a skunk?
The differences are certainly vast in Wenzel’s often melodramatic scenes. Benign and strokable beneath the hand of a light-skinned child (visible only from the waist down), the brindled cat is transformed to an ugly, skinny slinker in a suspicious dog’s view. In a fox’s eyes it looks like delectably chubby prey but looms, a terrifying monster, over a cowering mouse. It seems a field of colored dots to a bee; jagged vibrations to an earthworm; a hairy thicket to a flea. “Yes,” runs the terse commentary’s refrain, “they all saw the cat.” Words in italics and in capital letters in nearly every line give said commentary a deliberate cadence and pacing: “The cat walked through the world, / with its whiskers, ears, and paws… // and the fish saw A CAT.” Along with inviting more reflective viewers to ruminate about perception and subjectivity, the cat’s perambulations offer elemental visual delights in the art’s extreme and sudden shifts in color, texture, and mood from one page or page turn to the next.
A solo debut for Wenzel showcasing both technical chops and a philosophical bent. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4521-5013-0
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Share your opinion of this book
More by Brendan Wenzel
BOOK REVIEW
by Brendan Wenzel ; illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
BOOK REVIEW
by Beth Ferry ; illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
BOOK REVIEW
by Brendan Wenzel ; illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
by Ben Clanton ; illustrated by Ben Clanton ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020
Cute and brave—gee, Rot’s spud-tacular!
A “scaredy-spud” puts on his brave face.
All “mutant potatoes” love mud. Mud is good for playing games, eating, and even sleeping. But few taters have more tender feelings toward muck than Rot. À la Pete the Cat, Rot celebrates mud in song: “Mud between my toes! / Mud in my nose! / Mud is GREAT / wherever it GOES!” When Rot’s big brother, Snot, tells Rot about the Squirm that lives “deep down in the mushy muck,” his love quickly turns to fear. But he doesn’t give up! Instead, Rot imagines himself in various disguises to work up courage. There’s “Super Spud” (a superhero), “Sir Super Rot, the Brave and Bold” (a superhero-knight), and even “Sir Super Rot the Pigtato” (a, um, superhero-knight-pig-potato). The disguises are one thing, but, deep down, is Rot really brave enough to face the Squirm? Readers wooed by Rot’s charm in Rot: The Cutest in the World (2017) will laugh out loud at this well-paced encore—and it’s not just because of the butt cracks. Clanton creates a winning dynamic, balancing Rot’s earnestness, witty dialogue, and an omniscient, slightly melodramatic narrator. The cartoon illustrations were created using watercolors, colored pencils, digital collage, and—brilliantly—potato stamps. Clanton’s reliance on earth tones makes for some clever, surprising page turns when the palette is broken.
Cute and brave—gee, Rot’s spud-tacular! (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: June 16, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6764-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
Share your opinion of this book
More by Ben Clanton
BOOK REVIEW
by Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser ; illustrated by Ben Clanton & Andy Chou Musser
BOOK REVIEW
by Ben Clanton ; illustrated by Ben Clanton
BOOK REVIEW
by Ben Clanton ; illustrated by Ben Clanton
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.