A deftly executed homage to the power children possess to imagine away a dreary day.
Two children stuck inside on a rainy day use their imaginations to stave off boredom.
Having exhausted their usual indoor activities, small gal pals Kiki and Anna stare out the wet window despondently. But then, in a stroke of inspiration, Kiki invents a special game: “We could play the Think-Ups!” The rules are simple: Think of something and it will appear. Anna is skeptical at first, but soon the girls are conjuring up bunnies, octopuses, koalas, and even a moose! They initially revel in their wild animal apparitions until the mischievous menagerie takes over the house, making a mess in the kitchen and causing general chaos. Luckily, the children think up a way to restore order just as the sun comes out…but their imaginary troubles aren’t over yet! Alexander’s exuberant text lends itself perfectly to reading aloud, with playful verbal flourishes such as “wriggling, giggling octopuses.” The digital illustrations, executed in a mostly pastel palette, have a hand-drawn feel and effectively convey the hilarity, charm, and unbridled energy of young children’s play. Kiki and Anna’s rapidly shifting emotional extremes are dead-on and offer additional points for discussion. Occasional wordless spreads give readers a chance to take a breath during the make-believe mayhem and soak in all the details. Attentive readers will notice clues peppered throughout that foreshadow some of the hijinks. All characters are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A deftly executed homage to the power children possess to imagine away a dreary day. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2012-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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