Just right for aspiring pet owners.
Third-grader Ishan Mehra wages a successful campaign to repeal his mother's no-dogs-allowed rule by gently introducing her to a neighbor's dog.
Ishan’s original plan is to win his mother over by being especially nice and helpful. But things go wrong. His cooking makes a mess, his hall-painting makes a bigger one, and the sculpture he and his friends make with the desserts at a large community party is a big mistake. But when an elderly neighbor faints, Ishan has the presence of mind to call 9-1-1 and is allowed to keep the man’s dog for a few days—time enough to help his mother get over her childhood fears. Sheth’s first novel for younger readers (Boys Without Names, 2010, etc.) features a likable, determined protagonist, gentle humor and a familiar family situation. Hindi words and details of Indian-American culture—especially the food—are woven into the story, always with an explanation. The first-person, present-tense narration includes short paragraphs, ample dialogue and illustrations every few pages (final art not seen). While the multicultural aspect of this title is important, its real strength is the familiarity of Ishan’s situation. Elementary school readers will find it easy to identify with both his younger-brother troubles and his desperate desire for a dog.
Just right for aspiring pet owners. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8075-5694-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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