Yin and Soentpiet collaborate for the second time (Coolies, 2001) with this long first-person story narrated by a Hispanic boy named Willy. His best friend, Carlos, is in a wheelchair due to an unspecified accident, and they both live in a New York City high-rise apartment building in a neighborhood that Willy calls “scary and rough.” Willy sends Santa an e-mail asking for a gift for Carlos, and Carlos does the same for Willy. On Christmas Eve, Santa arrives in the street outside and, after a long climb up 19 flights of stairs, shedding his garb along the way, gives Carlos a basketball (even though he can’t use it in his wheelchair) and Willy a telescope. The basketball and Santa’s visit are supposed to give the boys hope, and perhaps they shall, though it’s a stretch. Soentpiet’s realistic watercolor illustrations give each character an individual personality, and Santa seems quite real, especially when he arrives in the street, as he struggles to make it up the stairs with his pack of heavy gifts, and in the cover illustration as he looks at his computer screen. Though the overall story is a touch sentimental, its realistic urban setting, not seen enough in picture books, will help it find its audience. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-399-23636-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2002
The leaves have changed, Thanksgiving nears—and the canny turkeys of Squawk Valley have decamped, leaving local residents to face the prospect of a birdless holiday. What to do? They decide to lure a bird back by appealing to its vanity, placing a want ad for a model to help sculptors creating turkey art, then “inviting” the bird to dinner. The ploy works, too, for out of the woods struts plump and perky Pete to take on the job. Shelly debuts with brightly hued cartoon scenes featuring pop-eyed country folk and deceptively silly-looking gobblers. Pete may be vain, but he hasn’t lost the wiliness of his wild ancestors; when the townsfolk come for him, he hides amidst a flock of sculpted gobblers—“There were turkeys made of spuds, / there were turkeys made of rope. / There were turkeys made of paper, / there were turkeys made of soap. / The room was full of turkeys / in a wall to wall collage. / For a clever bird like Pete / it was perfect camouflage.” He makes his escape, and is last seen lounging on a turkey-filled tropical beach as the disappointed Squawk Valleyites gather round the table for a main course of . . . shredded wheat. Good for a few giggles. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-890817-91-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2001
In a snowbound Swiss village, Matti figures it’s a good day to make a gingerbread man. He and his mother mix a batch of gingerbread and tuck it in the oven, but Matti is too impatient to wait ten minutes without peeking. When he opens the door, out pops a gingerbread baby, taunting the familiar refrain, “Catch me if you can.” The brash imp races all over the village, teasing animals and tweaking the noses of the citizenry, until there is a fair crowd on his heels intent on giving him a drubbing. Always he remains just out of reach as he races over the winterscape, beautifully rendered with elegant countryside and architectural details by Brett. All the while, Matti is busy back home, building a gingerbread house to entice the nervy cookie to safe harbor. It works, too, and Matti is able to spirit the gingerbread baby away from the mob. The mischief-maker may be a brat, but the gingerbread cookie is also the agent of good cheer, and Brett allows that spirit to run free on these pages. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-399-23444-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
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