In yet another delightfully inventive picture book, Steig combines a tale of uncanny transformation with his distinctively animated illustrations. By coincidence, Solomon the rabbit scratches his nose and wiggles his toes simultaneously—and a marvelous metamorphosis occurs: he discovers that he's capable of turning himself into a nail. Fueled by this unique ability, Solomon proceeds to test the trick on unsuspecting friends, who are baffled, and at home, where he mystifies everyone. But the thrill of the prank grows dull as time passes, and Solomon concentrates on Parcheesi and collecting butterflies. One summer day, while Solomon is searching for rare butterfly specimens in a meadow, he meets a most unpleasant stranger—Ambrose, a one-eyed cat. Armed with a knife, Ambrose is ready to march Solomon home to cook for supper. It's a frightful predicament but suddenly Solomon remembers his magic trick and vanishes. Ambrose, whose surly demeanor would frighten anyone, marches off in a rather confused state. Solomon reappears prematurely and is spotted by the cat, who pockets him as a nail and takes him away, not quite understanding the strange turn of events. Clorinda, his portly wife, doesn't really believe Ambrose's tale, but they put the nail in a padlocked cage in anticipation of fresh rabbit stew. As the days pass, the two become increasingly frustrated, and Ambrose eventually hammers Solomon into the side of the house in a fit of rage. Being a nail imbedded in a wall is a new experience for Solomon and he copes as best he can, though a pervading sense of loneliness permeates his reverie. A stroke of good fortune luckily occurs and Solomon returns home to his astounded family. Children will love this bizarre tale with its humorous drawings and lively sense of fun. Steig continues to create enchanting pictures in the style that has brought him international popularity.
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 1985
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1985
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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