Charmingly unassuming, rather like Paul himself.
A hardworking farmer, toiling solo until his well runs dry, is aided by helpful friends and timely rain.
“Paul mows…rakes…digs…[and] draws water” in successive spreads, one per action. After his well fails, the searing sun dominates a double spread, dwarfing Paul’s farmhouse and blackened crops. “But Paul is not alone”—a silhouetted cow, donkey, mole, and bird (all seen in earlier spreads) parade forth, bearing water and implements—“and his friend the rain is never truly far away.” A page turn reveals Paul’s lush, lovely crops—the result of his close observation, intense labor, and a hefty dose of good luck. Abadio’s naïve compositions convey a winsome bemusement that never mocks Paul, a white man who is matter-of-factly portrayed with a large, beaky red nose, tall black hat, and ballooning red overalls. Paul is absent or visually minuscule in some spreads—a nod to the central role that the land plays in the lives of farmers. Gentle humor is visual, as when a succession of Pauls peer from a series of mole holes. Compositions, all done on yellow paper, are striking: Mirroring the spread with the enormous sun is an equally mammoth moon that silhouettes Paul’s tiny house; in another, Paul stands level with the bottom of the dry well looking up, the bucket resting in futility at the bottom of the aquifer.
Charmingly unassuming, rather like Paul himself. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 19, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4158-7
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones.
What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?
Are you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry—your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else—like a chicken—to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously. The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-48679-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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