Vibrant illustrations and simple poetry converge into a great introduction to mythology and astronomy.
Stevenson’s lushly illustrated children’s book tells the constellations’ stories.
In short, catchy rhyming couplets, Stevenson shares the tales of the constellations based on Greek myths of gods, heroes, and monsters—like that of Corvus, named after Apollo’s punishment of the crow of bad tidings; Pavo conjures Hera’s peacock with spying eyes littered throughout its feathers; and Hydra evokes the myth of Heracles’ slaying of the sea serpent—as well as other triumphs and tragedies written in the stars. (“Not only did this horse have wings, / but he created magic springs!”) Maris’ illustrations bring these stories to life in a cool palette of mostly blues, violets, and greens, a perfect contrast to the book’s use of bright yellows and soft whites to draw out the stars. This is not to say the book is overly dark. Jupiter and the little fox Vulpecula are rendered in bright orange, and the Phoenixes fly in a fiery and bright-pink glow, never obscuring their celestial patterns. Maps of the actual constellations are laid over the figures they represent, so readers might recognize them in the night sky if they know where to look. Each constellation contains a compass within the illustration with a “hidden” direction that indicates the constellation’s hemisphere and gives kids another way to engage with the work. The children stargazing are depicted diversely, each of a different race or culture. The entries balance astronomy and poetic storytelling, from the unrivaled size of the Hydra (“the largest in the sky”) to the existence of the Phoenix in Egyptian legend as well. Kids who like magical creatures and monsters will find a few here, though parents worried about frightening or inappropriate imagery given the nature of Greek mythology have nothing to fear. Cerebus is depicted as a three-headed purple puppy, while the reasons for Hera’s jealousy concerning Zeus are kept child friendly.
Vibrant illustrations and simple poetry converge into a great introduction to mythology and astronomy.Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
ISBN: 9780648872399
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Ethicool Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book.
Ada Twist’s incessant stream of questions leads to answers that help solve a neighborhood crisis.
Ada conducts experiments at home to answer questions such as, why does Mom’s coffee smell stronger than Dad’s coffee? Each answer leads to another question, another hypothesis, and another experiment, which is how she goes from collecting data on backyard birds for a citizen-science project to helping Rosie Revere figure out how to get her uncle Ned down from the sky, where his helium-filled “perilous pants” are keeping him afloat. The Questioneers—Rosie the engineer, Iggy Peck the architect, and Ada the scientist—work together, asking questions like scientists. Armed with knowledge (of molecules and air pressure, force and temperature) but more importantly, with curiosity, Ada works out a solution. Ada is a recognizable, three-dimensional girl in this delightfully silly chapter book: tirelessly curious and determined yet easily excited and still learning to express herself. If science concepts aren’t completely clear in this romp, relationships and emotions certainly are. In playful full- and half-page illustrations that break up the text, Ada is black with Afro-textured hair; Rosie and Iggy are white. A closing section on citizen science may inspire readers to get involved in science too; on the other hand, the “Ode to a Gas!” may just puzzle them. Other backmatter topics include the importance of bird study and the threat palm-oil use poses to rainforests.
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3422-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
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BOOK REVIEW
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