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CHARLIE MALARKEY AND THE SINGING MOOSE

Name: CHARLIE MALARKEY AND THE SINGING MOOSE
Author: William Kennedy
ISBN: 0-670-84605-8

by William Kennedy & Brendan Kennedy & illustrated by S.D. Schindler ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1994

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Another offbeat tall tale from the authors of Charlie Malarkey and the Belly-Button Machine (1990); William Kennedy is also the Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Ironweed and other adult fiction. Barnaby, the moose in question—appealingly long- faced in Schindler's exuberant depiction—is an unwilling circus star, captive of moose-trainer Bungaroo. Barnaby can only sing with the help of a polka-dot tie, which ends up in Charlie's possession. The tie enables Charlie's monkey, Max, to sing—and also, when hidden (from bad-guy Bungaroo) in the freezer, causes a quartet of fish sticks to burst into harmony. In the end, Bungaroo gets his comeuppance, and Charlie sets Barnaby free; but this inevitable outcome is second to the wordplay and whimsical shenanigans along the way, much enhanced by the authors' crisp delivery. Better-than-average slapstick; Schindler's adroit caricatures suit the playful tone. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: June 1, 1994

ISBN: 0-670-84605-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1994

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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NOAH CHASES THE WIND

by Michelle Worthington ; illustrated by Joseph Cowman ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2015

An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way.

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A young boy sees things a little differently than others.

Noah can see patterns in the dust when it sparkles in the sunlight. And if he puts his nose to the ground, he can smell the “green tang of the ants in the grass.” His most favorite thing of all, however, is to read. Noah has endless curiosity about how and why things work. Books open the door to those answers. But there is one question the books do not explain. When the wind comes whistling by, where does it go? Noah decides to find out. In a chase that has a slight element of danger—wind, after all, is unpredictable—Noah runs down streets, across bridges, near a highway, until the wind lifts him off his feet. Cowman’s gusty wisps show each stream of air turning a different jewel tone, swirling all around. The ribbons gently bring Noah home, setting him down under the same thinking tree where he began. Did it really happen? Worthington’s sensitive exploration leaves readers with their own set of questions and perhaps gratitude for all types of perspective. An author’s note mentions children on the autism spectrum but widens to include all who feel a little different.

An invitation to wonder, imagine and look at everything (humans included) in a new way. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 14, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-60554-356-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Redleaf Lane

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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RAPUNZEL

adapted by Rachel Isadora & illustrated by Rachel Isadora ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2008

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Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your dreads! Isadora once again plies her hand using colorful, textured collages to depict her fourth fairy tale relocated to Africa. The narrative follows the basic story line: Taken by an evil sorceress at birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower; Rapunzel and the prince “get married” in the tower and she gets pregnant. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and tricks the prince, who throws himself from the tower and is blinded by thorns. The terse ending states: “The prince led Rapunzel and their twins to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived happily every after.” Facial features, clothing, dreadlocks, vultures and the prince riding a zebra convey a generic African setting, but at times, the mixture of patterns and textures obfuscates the scenes. The textile and grain characteristic of the hewn art lacks the elegant romance of Zelinksy’s Caldecott version. Not a first purchase, but useful in comparing renditions to incorporate a multicultural aspect. (Picture book/fairy tale. 6-8)