The free-spirited illustrations, the detailed urban setting, and Fergus’ close connections with his friends are sure to make...
The Barnaby family is getting ready to go on vacation, but Fergus keeps forgetting things.
Young Fergus Barnaby, a small fuzzy bear, is trying to close his overstuffed suitcase but realizes several crucial items are missing. The family lives on the first floor of a typical New York brownstone apartment building, so Fergus must climb the stairs to the second floor to retrieve his bucket and shovel from his giraffe friend Fred; to the third floor to get his goggles from his hippo friend Emily Rose; and to the roof to get his kite from his monkey friend Teddy. The friends are each depicted in their distinctly styled living spaces, most interestingly Fred’s jazz studio. As with Barrow’s earlier Have You Seen Elephant? (2016), the illustrations are skillfully rendered in a splashy, textured watercolor style, with lots of interesting details. Clues to the personalities of the characters abound in the drawings taped to the walls, pictures on a fridge, and, sweetly, plants labeled with Fergus’ and Teddy’s names on Teddy’s balcony. Finally packed up, Fergus and Dad set off for the beach in their purple VW Bug only to realize a terrible omission: “We forgot MOM!!”
The free-spirited illustrations, the detailed urban setting, and Fergus’ close connections with his friends are sure to make this a hit with every child looking forward to a trip. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4380-5009-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barron's
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
