“[W]e have only one mother,” the author concludes (true in most cases, at least). “The moon is the very least that we can...
A lad bent on giving his mother the Moon discovers that it’s hard—but not impossible—to reach.
Briére-Haquet begins by noting with unassailable logic that “[b]ecause he is small, [Peter] is not very tall.” She stands him atop a rising pyramid of his father, his friends, helpful local people and more—to all of whom he promises a piece of the moon once he reaches it. Eventually, frustrated and thinking that the widespread distribution wouldn’t leave much to give his mother anyway, he stalks around the world to cool off and then decides to give it one more try. Success! And the Moon turns out to be much bigger than he had supposed. The narrative is written in free verse laced with internal and partial rhymes. It floats over rolling, canted crowd scenes of stylized babushkas and others in baggy, patterned clothing, who lean into one another and reach upward to help Peter on his way. If the print is a bit hard to make out on darker spreads and Chauffrey’s Moon resembles a roast wrapped in brown paper and string netting, still the painted art’s visual rhythms match the text for quirky energy. Mutual adoration between mother and child shines out in a final cozy cuddle.
“[W]e have only one mother,” the author concludes (true in most cases, at least). “The moon is the very least that we can offer her!” (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-2-7338-1940-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Auzou Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
This multigenerational snuggle will encourage the sharing of old memories and the creation of new ones.
Hill and Bobbiesi send a humungous hug from grandmothers to their granddaughters everywhere.
Delicate cartoon art adds details to the rhyming text showing multigenerational commonalities. “You and I are alike in such wonderful ways. / You will see more and more as you grow” (as grandmother and granddaughter enjoy the backyard together); “I wobbled uncertainly just as you did / whenever I tried something new” (as a toddler takes first steps); “And if a bad dream woke me up in the night, / I snuggled up with my lovey too” (grandmother kisses granddaughter, who clutches a plush narwhal). Grandmother-granddaughter pairs share everyday joys like eating ice cream, dancing “in the rain,” and making “up silly games.” Although some activities skew stereotypically feminine (baking, yoga), a grandmother helps with a quintessential volcano experiment (this pair presents black, adding valuable STEM representation), another cheers on a young wheelchair athlete (both present Asian), and a third, wearing a hijab, accompanies her brown-skinned granddaughter on a peace march, as it is “important to speak out for what you believe.” The message of unconditional love is clear throughout: “When you need me, I’ll be there to listen and care. / There is nothing that keeps us apart.” The finished book will include “stationery…for a special letter from Grandma to you!”
This multigenerational snuggle will encourage the sharing of old memories and the creation of new ones. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-0623-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers.
Two little rats decide to show the world how tough they are, with unpredictable results.
Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to be just like their single dad, Big Lou: tough! They know that “tough” means doing mean things to other animals, like stealing Chad Badgerton’s hat. Chad Badgerton is a big badger, so taking that hat from him proves that Louie and Ralphie are just as tough as they want to be. However, it turns out that Louie and Ralphie have just done a good deed instead of a bad one: Chad Badgerton had taken that hat from little Tiny Crawley, a mouse, so when Tiny reclaims it, they are celebrated for goodness rather than toughness. Sadly, every attempt Louie and Ralphie make at doing mean things somehow turns nice. What’s a little boy rat supposed to do to be tough? Plus, they worry about what their dad will say when he finds out how good they’ve been. But wait! Maybe their dad has some other ideas? LaReau keeps the action high and completely appropriate for readers embarking on chapter books. Each of the first six chapters features a new, failed attempt by Louie and Ralphie to be mean, and the final, seventh chapter resolves everything nicely. The humor springs from their foiled efforts and their reactions to their failures. Myers’ sprightly grayscale drawings capture action and characters and add humorous details, such as the Ratsos’ “unwelcome” mat.
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7636-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
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