A fun romp with uniquely illustrated characters and a simple solution to an amusingly silly dilemma.
A happy-go-lucky hare finds it difficult to hop when his socks won’t stay up.
Henry Hare loves to hop, but his hopping is a bit hampered by his titular “floppy socks.” They habitually slide down his ankles and over the tops of his sneakers, and he finds himself spending so much time pulling and tugging them back up that he decides to try to find a solution. Linda Sue the duck suggests using tape or glue, but Henry wisely points out that neither would stick to his fur. Next, Linda Sue suggests bubble gum, but Henry finds this equally “dumb.” When Linda Sue suggests string or a rubber band, Henry seizes upon the idea, but Peter, Paul and Peggy Pup are there to tell Henry that a rubber band would only cut the circulation off to his feet. Despondent, Henry seems willing to accept that nothing will ever keep his socks up where they belong—until wise Al the owl tells him to use suspenders. And that’s just what Henry does. Cobb (Greta’s Magical Mistake, 2013) highlights an amusing scenario with Henry and his socks that just won’t stay up. Even if they’ve never experienced something similar, young readers may still be entertained by Henry’s difficulties—particularly when the frustrated hare attempts to hop while holding on to his socks. The book follows a familiar formula: The title character receives advice from various other characters on how to solve his dilemma until, somewhat predictably, the wise owl saves the day. Cobb’s text has a playful rhythm to it, though it unfortunately sometimes breaks that rhythm in order to force a rhyme here and there. Overall, however, the narrative is solid, if partly because it’s so familiar. In Miller’s unique illustrations, Henry and the other animals resemble an amalgamation of beautifully patterned cutouts. Unfortunately, the background is equally colorful and dizzying, occasionally drowning out the characters. Nevertheless, the overall effort will impress young readers.
A fun romp with uniquely illustrated characters and a simple solution to an amusingly silly dilemma.Pub Date: April 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615796109
Page Count: 36
Publisher: 10 to 2 Children's Books
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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