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CLARENCE COCHRAN, A HUMAN BOY

Name: CLARENCE COCHRAN, A HUMAN BOY
Author: William Loizeaux
ISBN: 978-0-374-31323-4

by William Loizeaux & illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2009

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Clever reimaginings of classics generally rely on awareness of the originals for at least part of their appeal (and most of their humor). That would seem to spell trouble for this reversal of The Metamorphosis. Still, even kids unfamiliar with Kafka’s work are likely to enjoy this tale of a young cockroach whose inexplicable transformation into a tiny human boy enables him to save his family from a dreadful death at the hands of an exterminator. Loizeaux paints an entertaining picture of the slovenly Gilmartin family and the bounty that their kitchen provides to the local cockroach community—until the unthinkable happens, and the family catches sight of them. How Clarence copes with his change, the suspicious distaste of his former friends and the threat that faces them all will capture kids’ interest. Clarence’s ultimate victory, gained by writing a heartfelt plea to Mrs. Gilmartin, isn’t entirely convincing, but readers will be pleased at his success. Wilsdorf’s black-and-white drawings amplify the humor of the text while highlighting specific action and amusing details. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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Pub Date: April 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-374-31323-4

Page Count: 160

Publisher: Melanie Kroupa/Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO RIDE A DRAGONFLY
by Kitty Donohoe ; illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SAM
by Hannah Barnaby ; illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

- BOOK REVIEW
A HIPPY-HOPPY TOAD
by Peggy Archer ; illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

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TINY GREEN THUMBS

by C.Z. Guest ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2000

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Guest debuts in children’s books with a story of intergenerational love, focusing on the gardening efforts of two small animals. With the expert guidance of Ganny Bun, Tiny Bun and his friend, Little Mouse, learn how to create, care for, and grow a garden. Under Ganny’s tutelage, the duo learn of the six elements necessary for a garden: soil, seed, water, sun, time, and love. Together the novice gardeners prepare the soil, select and plant a plethora of seeds, and water the seedlings. When Tiny Bun, balking at the seemingly endless wait for results, asks Ganny Bun what he should do until the plants are ready, she shows him how he can turn his ordinary thumbs into tiny green thumbs. After doing all the weeding and caring for the plants, Tiny Bun discovers that his little thumbs are indeed green (and brown too, from all the weeds and dirt) and a bountiful vegetable garden awaits him for harvesting. Guest imbues the tale with genuine passion for the art of gardening and all things leafy and green. Krupinski’s lush illustrations, meticulously detailed and overflowing with an abundance of flora, depict the verdant beauty of a summer garden in all its glory. Interspersed throughout the text are simple, child-friendly directions for engaging in the pleasures of gardening. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 1, 2000

ISBN: 0-7868-0516-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Hyperion

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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AROUND THE WORLD

WHO'S BEEN HERE?

by Lindsay Barrett George ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1999

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PLB 0-688-15269-4 George offers alert naturalists a chance to go sleuthing around the world, and the results are invigorationg. Miss Lewis, a teacher, is off circumnavigating Earth; she corresponds with the students back home, telling of her travels and the creatures she encounters in Peru, Antarctica, Kenya, China, Japan, Australia, Alaska, and an island off the coast of California. She describes the wildlife, mentions particular sites she visits, often throws in an anthropological nugget or two, and then ends with a question that relates to some unusual trace that has been left by an animal—gouges taken out of cliff faces, a tree stripped bare, mysterious snowballs around a hot spring, a trail cut through the stony tundra. The animal is subsequently identified, although readers will not know until the end of the book, where the traces are explained, exactly what has transpired. George doesn’t try to cram every page with information, but is selective, choosing material that distills the unique character of a place. Excellent, highly detailed illustrations accompany the text. (maps) (Picture book. 5-9)