A new dog, Sofie, joins the family introduced in A Gift from Papá Diego (1998), to the absolute joy of the children, Little Diego and Gabriela. Though there is much competition between siblings as to whose dog she is and who loves her more, the controversy quickly ends when Sofie becomes seriously ill and the family endures two days and nights of anxiety and fear. Love, moral support and a bit of faith bring the drama to a happy conclusion while brother and sister gain insight into the sharing of all the responsibilities and joys of pet owning: Too many tortillas may not be such a good thing for the rambunctious puppy. Garcia’s signature folk-inspired, sculpted clay illustrations depict a lovably goofy little mutt; rounded shapes—heads, dog bed, tortillas and more—combine with a warm palette to create a cozy, comforting atmosphere that reflects the traditions of Mexican-American family life described in the dual English/Spanish narrative. A universal message with a Latino flavor. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-933693-54-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
The wriggly narrator of Diary of a Worm (2003) puts in occasional appearances, but it’s his arachnid buddy who takes center stage here, with terse, tongue-in-cheek comments on his likes (his close friend Fly, Charlotte’s Web), his dislikes (vacuums, people with big feet), nervous encounters with a huge Daddy Longlegs, his extended family—which includes a Grandpa more than willing to share hard-won wisdom (The secret to a long, happy life: “Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)—and mishaps both at spider school and on the human playground. Bliss endows his garden-dwellers with faces and the odd hat or other accessory, and creates cozy webs or burrows colorfully decorated with corks, scraps, plastic toys and other human detritus. Spider closes with the notion that we could all get along, “just like me and Fly,” if we but got to know one another. Once again, brilliantly hilarious. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000153-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
Rylant (Henry and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers, 1998, etc.) slips into a sentimental mode for this latest outing of the boy and his dog, as she sends Mudge and Henry and his parents off on a camping trip. Each character is attended to, each personality sketched in a few brief words: Henry's mother is the camping veteran with outdoor savvy; Henry's father doesn't know a tent stake from a marshmallow fork, but he's got a guitar for campfire entertainment; and the principals are their usual ready-for-fun selves. There are sappy moments, e.g., after an evening of star- gazing, Rylant sends the family off to bed with: ``Everyone slept safe and sound and there were no bears, no scares. Just the clean smell of trees . . . and wonderful green dreams.'' With its nice tempo, the story is as toasty as its campfire and swaddled in Stevenson's trusty artwork. (Fiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-689-81175-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1998
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