Larded with earnest purpose but unconvincing and far from likely to be the first call for attention to America’s weight...
With a message-driven tale of a plump lad who turns over a new leaf, an ex-mayor of New York and his sister clobber readers with the Board of Education.
To judge from the contemporary dress of the figures in Hoefer’s inexpert illustrations, this isn’t intended to be autobiographical despite the main character’s name—though a breezy admission in the closing lecture that the co-authors were both "chubby" children does creates a certain resonance. Round as the apple he discards from his lunch every day, young Eddie chows down on fatty foods and avoids playground games for fear of embarrassment—until a friend tells him that he’s “a little heavy and out of shape. Maybe it’s because of the way you eat.” The next day Eddie begins asking his mom for healthier breakfasts than bagels with butter and also heads for the park to jog. A “few weeks” later he’s nimble enough to chase down a runaway baby carriage, hold his own in a playground dodgeball game and even join the school’s soccer team. Despite a seemingly simple program—eat less, cut down on the cookies, exercise regularly—will Eddie’s example prompt similar sudden epiphanies in rotund readers? Fat chance.
Larded with earnest purpose but unconvincing and far from likely to be the first call for attention to America’s weight problem that children or parents will encounter. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60478-378-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Zagat
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side.
Bash is back for another session of Scare School.
This second series installment sees the young ghost tasked with completing a group project that requires him to learn about a terrifying place in or around the school. Bash is assigned to work with Wes, a shy but gentle and artistic werewolf, and Vicky and Vlad, two prickly vampires. The group decides to research the spooky forest. Bash is nervous about exploring the forest; plus, he must contend with teammates who don’t pull their own weight (Vicky and Vlad goof off in the gym while Bash and Wes wait for them in the library). But Bash eventually finds a way to confront his fears as he and the others complete their project. Despite the premise, this tale’s more sweet than spooky. Endearing Bash frets about new experiences but proves eager to jump in. He has a delightful, supportive friend in his roommate, Itsy the spider; her tiny knitted socks are an especially charming detail. The characters’ realization that fear can sometimes hold us back will resonate with readers. The plot moves at a steady clip, while stick figure illustrations and comic panels break up the text, giving the tale an appealing, Wimpy Kid–esque vibe.
A warmly reassuring tale for those who prefer their scares on the lighter side. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781665922128
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
Series fans won’t be disappointed, but young readers and listeners who know only the original ditty may find this a touch...
Having eaten pretty much everything on land in 13 previous versions of the classic song, Colandro’s capaciously stomached oldster goes to sea.
Once again the original cumulative rhyme’s naturalistic aspects are dispensed with, so that not only doesn’t the old lady die, but neither do any of the creatures she consumes. Instead, the titular shark “left no mark,” a squid follows down the hatch to “float with the shark,” a fish to “dance with the squid,” an eel to “brighten the fish” (with “fluorescent light!” as a subsequent line explains), and so on—until at the end it’s revealed to be all pretending anyway on a visit to an aquarium. Likewise, though Lee outfits the bespectacled binge-eater with a finny tail and the requisite bra for most of the extended episode, she regains human feet and garb at the end. In the illustrations, the old lady and one of the two children who accompany her are pink-skinned; the other has frizzy hair and an amber complexion. A set of nature notes on the featured victims and a nautical seek-and-find that will send viewers back to the earlier pictures modestly enhance this latest iteration.
Series fans won’t be disappointed, but young readers and listeners who know only the original ditty may find this a touch bland. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-12993-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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