Lyrical, absurd, and full of wonder.
Two kids tempt gulls in a contemplative exploration of a hot summer day.
Hiding from the sun in an abandoned car in a parking lot next to the Sea Hotel, two youngsters hatch a plan. Contending with boredom on an endless day and the sticky heat, they decide to surround the car with French fries to attract sea gulls. They “salt The Sea” with littered fries and spread globs of strategically placed ketchup (“The garbage gulls can be picky,” after all). Then they wait, quietly listening for impending wings. “A few crunched bags summon squawks,” and suddenly the air is filled with gulls. “Our constellation of crumbs gathers beasts of the streets.” The flapping cacophony suddenly lifts the car and takes it to the beach! The Sea Hotel becomes the sea itself, and the youngsters’ imaginations take flight. With curved edges and rusted orange tones, Fassler’s art melts in the heat, while Plourde’s languid text both lulls and delights. The book is a dazzling debut for this author/illustrator duo. While the wonderfully surreal tale may perplex very young or more literal-minded readers (although they may be most in need of its charms), it’s a beautiful meditation that slips the audience directly into one sticky, summer moment in time. Both kids present white.
Lyrical, absurd, and full of wonder. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9781525307089
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
Only for dedicated fans of the series.
When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster.
“I spot my monster right away. / He’s practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won’t be scared anymore!” The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green–striped tail. The kid employs a “bag of tricks” to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he “rips a massive FART!!” that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster’s house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton’s bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace’s limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off.
Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-4894-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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