Like a pun, this book will either go over really well or flop
Katz’s (sub)titular show and tell has a room full of racially diverse students making proclamations that would normally get them sent to the principal’s office, giving this book a forbidden-fruit vibe.
A cold and rainy day prompts Mrs. Mueller to cancel recess and hold show and tell instead. Jimmy’s response? “That stinks!” The class gasps, mouths agape, but Jimmy is just referring to the item he’s sharing: his pet skunk. “Aw, nuts!” says Susie: she shows off a bowl of several kinds. And so it goes, each student turning a potentially inflammatory comment into an innocuous one, though some are more jaw-dropping than others—“This totally bites!”—and some are just downright cheesy (literally). And the nerds are easily pinpointed: Monica shows off her gross of pencils, and Thomas displays an electrical circuit (“Shocking!”). Gilpin proves he is a master of both facial expressions and kids’ body language; a raised eyebrow here and a crinkled nose there exude disgust, and there’s no child who won’t recognize the talk-to-the-hand gesture accompanied by upward-looking eyes that he does so well in his digital illustrations. But Katz’s text is not as strong. One wonders how the kids came to have these items in school (especially the pet skunk and the family’s dinner garbage) when the activity is presented as an impromptu decision. The items also seem to be chosen more for their pun-ability than as a reflection of kids’ reality.
Like a pun, this book will either go over really well or flop . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4169-7880-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.
In Weaver’s charming picture book, a dog reassesses his not-so-glowing review of little kids.
“Families are OVERRATED!” as far as the bluish-gray hound named Dog is concerned. While he approves of the adults in the household, the four small children are for the birds. In an attempt to resolve his conflicted feelings, Dog pours his heart out to a therapist scribbling on a notepad. Dog lists his grievances via couplet rhymes: “And many times I’ve found their dirty toys INSIDE MY BOWL! / It’s obvious these little humans have no SELF-CONTROL!” With key words highlighted in colorful and bolded fonts for more emphasis, his voice now has added urgency. Soylu’s lively drawings in muted tones are wondrously effective in animating Dog; his hanging jowls, big eyes, and floppy ears all convey believably beleaguered expressions. Lifelike details enhance the dramatic effect of the children’s boisterous antics. At the end, Weaver provides a list of do’s and don’ts for interacting with pets. Dog lovers can identify the dog breed silhouettes on the endpapers. Kids will get a kick out of Dog’s opinion of humans and perhaps recognize some behaviors to reconsider.
This humorous, lively dog’s-eye view provides gentle instruction for interacting with pets.Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781736267370
Page Count: 40
Publisher: A Little Offbeat Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
