An inspired and strikingly original riff on the back-to-school experience.
An extraplanetary, extraordinary first week of school.
The first day begins with a line of cars in a drop-off queue and a group of racially diverse kids making their way into the building. Inside we see the ambitious Inventor, the self-critical Artist, a group of friends who refer to themselves as the “SPORT KINGS,” Pat, the classroom bearded dragon, and, notably, an empty desk: “Nobody sits here, but a new student is coming next week.” Nothing seems amiss until recess. There’s a strange sound, and a beam from outer space appears, but no one notices…except Pat. The beam is carrying Nobody, a one-eyed sea-foam green extraterrestrial who, despite Pat’s impressive attempts to alert everyone, integrates seamlessly into the classroom. Nobody is curious and observant, befriending a trepidatious Pat, discovering the Artist’s discarded work, and noticing that there’s “a problem with the vortex calculator on the Inventor’s machine.” In a charmingly guileless way, he calls attention to the Artist’s work, thus turning the class into art aficionados, and quietly leaves a necessary part for the Inventor’s machine before slipping away. The pictures have tremendous crayon-colored kid appeal, and the text is clever and funny. Observant readers will find many delicious surprises, and the twist at the end is a genuine delight.
An inspired and strikingly original riff on the back-to-school experience. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9781665940429
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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