Schmaltzy but affecting.
Music touches lives human and otherwise in this true zoo tale from the 1970s.
A jazz flautist named (ironically) Paul Horn meets captive orcas Haida and Chimo at an aquarium on British Columbia’s Victoria Island, along with a scientist, Dr. Paul Spong, who’s been studying the effects of recorded music on the whales. With Dr. Spong’s encouragement, Horn agrees to sit poolside with his two sons and play live. Astonishingly, the marine mammals not only listen attentively, but also respond with calls of their own. Sometime later, after Chimo dies, Horn returns with his children to revive the grieving, failing Haida with dancing and happy tunes. OHora relates the encounters in rhapsodic, occasionally over-the-top tones—“Gorgeous melodies filled the air.” “For a moment, they were all free in a realm of pure joy”—before concluding with poignant sentiments about the suffering of orcas in captivity and further information about the apex predators, about Horn, and about Spong’s ongoing research. In illustrations “inspired by music on vinyl,” abstract tufts of sound float up from the flute as the orcas swim and splash in claustrophobic surroundings. Chimo’s rare partial albinism is accurately depicted. Human figures are uniformly pink-skinned, but they’re likewise drawn with individualized features.
Schmaltzy but affecting. (Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781774883945
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape.
The fourth installment in Delacre’s early-reader series centers on the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico, once again featuring sibling tree frogs Rafi and Rosi Coquí.
Readers learn along with Rafi and Rosi as they explore bomba, plena, and salsa in three chapters. A glossary at the beginning sets readers up well to understand the Spanish vocabulary, including accurate phoneticization for non-Spanish speakers. The stories focus on Rafi and Rosi’s relationship within a musical context. For example, in one chapter Rafi finds out that he attracts a larger audience playing his homemade güiro with Rosi’s help even though he initially excluded her: “Big brothers only.” Even when he makes mistakes, as the older brother, Rafi consoles Rosi when she is embarrassed or angry at him. In each instance, their shared joy for music and dance ultimately shines through any upsets—a valuable reflection of unity. Informational backmatter and author’s sources are extensive. Undoubtedly these will help teachers, librarians, and parents to develop Puerto Rican cultural programs, curriculum, or home activities to extend young readers’ learning. The inclusion of instructions to make one’s own homemade güiro is a thoughtful addition. The Spanish translation, also by Delacre and published simultaneously, will require a more advanced reader than the English one to recognize and comprehend contractions (“pa’bajo-pa-pa’rriba”) and relatively sophisticated vocabulary.
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape. (Early reader. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-89239-429-6
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
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