Too mean-spirited to be really funny.
The drama behind an upcoming pet parade, told in epistolary style.
Simon, Andy’s cat, is writing to Baxter, Andy’s dog. Simon invites Baxter to march in the upcoming pet parade, taking Simon’s place. Baxter replies affirmatively with wriggly enthusiasm and atrocious spelling. When Simon asks Baxter what his costume will be and reminds him to be more attentive to his spelling, Baxter writes back that the costume is a secret, that “speling is…not vary fun,” and that he has given Simon the nickname of Cat Man. Simon says he doesn’t want a nickname, but Baxter persists, insensitively. While Simon is unfailingly polite in his epistolary quest to find out what Baxter’s costume is, readers may detect in the responses he receives that he is not altogether an innocent party. Nevertheless, many of those responses are noticeably ungracious. And Baxter, with his willful dismissal of Simon’s feelings, adds to the story’s pervasively subtle mean-spiritedness. Backmatter gives a “Doggie Dictionary” that translates Baxter’s ubiquitous misspellings into proper words, but as a device, his habit is more intrusive than cute, often forcing readers who are trying to master spelling themselves to sound out what should be sight words to glean meaning. Andy is White, as is his chief competitor, and his friend Noah is a child of color. Atteberry renders expressions well, but the goldfish with the big red lips and long eyelashes is tiresomely stereotypical, as is the apparently elderly snail delivering the letters.
Too mean-spirited to be really funny. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4493-9
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends
Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler—heck, every human: “Waiting is not easy!”
When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the “surprise is a surprise.” Gerald pumps Piggie for information (it’s big, it’s pretty, and they can share it), but Piggie holds fast on this basic principle: Gerald will have to wait. Gerald lets out an almighty “GROAN!” Variations on this basic exchange occur throughout the day; Gerald pleads, Piggie insists they must wait; Gerald groans. As the day turns to twilight (signaled by the backgrounds that darken from mauve to gray to charcoal), Gerald gets grumpy. “WE HAVE WASTED THE WHOLE DAY!…And for WHAT!?” Piggie then gestures up to the Milky Way, which an awed Gerald acknowledges “was worth the wait.” Willems relies even more than usual on the slightest of changes in posture, layout and typography, as two waiting figures can’t help but be pretty static. At one point, Piggie assumes the lotus position, infuriating Gerald. Most amusingly, Gerald’s elephantine groans assume weighty physicality in spread-filling speech bubbles that knock Piggie to the ground. And the spectacular, photo-collaged images of the Milky Way that dwarf the two friends makes it clear that it was indeed worth the wait.
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends . (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9957-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2014
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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