Two mercurial characters, one 12, the other 88, square off to form a contentious friendship in this multistranded tale from LaFaye (Edith Shay, 1998). Raleia Pendle longs for the imagined simplicity and structure of the olden days, and wouldn’t mind conventional parents either: she has six-foot, seven-inch Max and Tiny, two feet shorter and very pregnant, ex-hippies with a parenting style that’s entirely too loose, as far as she’s concerned. Soon after moving into a summer cottage in Tidal, Maine, named for the great wave that swept over it six decades ago, Raleia meets Ian Rutherford, a total recluse since the death of his wife in the catastrophe. For tart tongues and hot tempers, they’re a perfect match, but Ian’s so much like a living time capsule that Raleia keeps coming back, to probe into his past and dream of days gone by. Despite occasional fits of wisdom, the adults in the story—especially Tiny, who lost her previous baby and is emotionally adrift—are at least as subject to whims and tantrums as the children; consequently, the plot is replete with tears and laughter. Picking up the nuances of character here will require a close, sensitive reading, and some may feel whip-sawed by the many subplots and sudden rages; still, the ability of Raleia and Ian to laugh at themselves keeps them from being complete termagants, and the Pendles in action are a constant delight. (Fiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: June 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-689-82441-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of Cameron’s Huey and Julian stories (More Stories Huey Tells, 1997, etc.) are in for a treat as Gloria, their friend from those tales, gets a book of her own and graciously allows the two brothers to share it . In the first tale, Gloria makes a wonderful card for her mother, but the wind blows it away and it ends up in the cage of a cantankerous parrot. Thanks to Mr. Bates, Huey and Julian’s dad, the day is saved, as is the burgeoning friendship that Gloria and the boys have struck up with new neighbor Latisha in the story, “The Promise.” In another story, Gloria has to deal with a huge problem—fractions—and this time it’s her dad who helps her through it. Mr. Bates proves helpful again when the group trains an “obsessed” puppy, while Gloria’s mother is supportive when Gloria is unintentionally hurt by her three best friends. The stories are warm and funny, as Gloria, a spunky kid who gets into some strange predicaments, finds out that her friends and wise, loving adults are good to have around when trouble beckons. Great fun, with subtly placed, positive messages that never take center stage. (b&w illustrations) (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: March 9, 2000
ISBN: 0-374-32670-3
Page Count: 93
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
There is something profoundly elemental going on in Smalls’s book: the capturing of a moment of unmediated joy. It’s not melodramatic, but just a Saturday in which an African-American father and son immerse themselves in each other’s company when the woman of the house is away. Putting first things first, they tidy up the house, with an unheralded sense of purpose motivating their actions: “Then we clean, clean, clean the windows,/wipe, wipe, wash them right./My dad shines in the windows’ light.” When their work is done, they head for the park for some batting practice, then to the movies where the boy gets to choose between films. After a snack, they work their way homeward, racing each other, doing a dance step or two, then “Dad takes my hand and slows down./I understand, and we slow down./It’s a long, long walk./We have a quiet talk and smile.” Smalls treats the material without pretense, leaving it guileless and thus accessible to readers. Hays’s artwork is wistful and idyllic, just as this day is for one small boy. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-316-79899-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
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