An unfortunate misalliance of story and illustrations.
In this Canadian import, a little girl speculates on the origins of her beloved pet dog, an endearing mutt with an unusual, mismatched configuration of body parts.
The unnamed girl narrates the concise story about her female dog, which also remains unnamed. Both dog and child are appealing characters in the watercolor-and-ink illustrations, and it’s refreshing to have two female protagonists and the little girl shown as a dark-skinned child with dark, curly hair. While the text clearly states that the dog was fashioned elsewhere by unknown creators, the illustrations show the girl creating the dog herself, attaching legs, paws, ears, and tail to a patched body. This disparity between text and illustrations leads to confusion, along with several other discrepancies that mar the overall effort. In one spread, the girl is in a shop that has dog parts for sale at a discount, pointing with a worried look at a sign that states “Brains 50%,” but the corresponding text states that her dog already knows enough. The conclusion says that the dog’s tail wags endlessly, but young readers will have noticed that the tail isn’t wagging on previous or subsequent pages. And though the dog is pieced together from spare parts and glue, she is clearly alive. This story might spark some discussion, but it’s likely to be in the form of questions trying to resolve logical issues and the incompatibility between text and illustrations.
An unfortunate misalliance of story and illustrations. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer.
Actor Metz and songwriter Collins join illustrator Fields in their second faith-related title for young children.
Instead of focusing on the language of prayer—what to say or how to say it—this book explores a topic central to the lives of the very young: their feelings around talking to God. Rhymes and near-rhymes in the AABB verses enumerate the simple challenges and triumphs experienced by a series of animals: “Sometimes I’m sad, not sure what to do. / There are days I feel teary, unhappy, or blue. / I fell off a log. I’m embarrassed and hurt. / My coat and paws are all covered in dirt.” An accompanying illustration depicts a sad wolf pup, a definite contrast to its siblings, who are delighting in their play. The highlight of the book is Fields’ animal characters. Whether happy, nervous, or sad, their expressive faces are easy to read, and their feelings will be familiar to young tots. The beaver’s frustration is palpable, and the tears in the scared raccoon’s eyes may just make readers’ own eyes well up. Some of the animals have a God stand-in to help them with their feelings—a friend or family member—but the final spread shows all the individual animals coming together in a couple of group hugs that express where children can find support (and sweetly defy predator–prey relationships).
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593691366
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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