Harry Holdsworth, nine, inherits a 40-year-old parrot from a great-uncle who was a professor of linguistics across the ocean in New York. Initially nonplussed by the bequest—since he's not interested in birds, knows that talking parrots only "parrot" without understanding, and fears he'll be stuck with the care of this one for decades to come—Harry is delighted to discover that Madison (Uncle George named his fourth parrot for the fourth President) not only talks with humor and erudition but understands more than most people, a secret Harry and his parents agree to keep to themselves in order to be free of publicity. The first half of the book is a delicious exploration of what it's like for a nice family to be augmented by a genial old parrot with a fund of gourmet recipes, a wicked cleverness at Monopoly and crossword puzzles, and the ability to do a perfect Bogart imitation. When burglars break in, Mad prevents a theft but is kidnapped; then, after several adventures complicated by his wish to keep his intelligence secret, he manages to contact Harry (collect) from a telephone booth and find his way home—but not before Dad has made the mistake of providing a substitute parrot, Fweddy, whose apparently unintelligent remarks are limited to such precious phrases as "Tebbly tebbly sowwy." Much as the Holdsworths have learned about not prejudging in their experiences with Mad, Fweddy has a couple of surprises for them, and so, still, does Mad, in this leisurely, charming fantasy. Although stingy center margins may invite spine cracking, this is otherwise an attractively designed book with plenty of white space and appropriately humorous line drawings. Children who enjoy Charlotte's Web or A Cricket in Times Square will love Mad—the British setting makes his Bogart imitations all the funnier. This would be great to read aloud.
Pub Date: Jan. 21, 1987
ISBN: 0141302577
Page Count: 107
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1987
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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