I loved Hound Dog Man and felt it never got the audience it deserved. Now comes Fred Gipson's second book, with fewer ingredients of sure popularity (or so I felt- in the dog and boy theme of the first book), but again with that contagious love of the outdoors. He has told this time the story of a country-bred man- a Texan — who stakes everything he has in buying back the old home place, and bringing his motherless boys and homesick old grandfather away from the city where he's never felt he belonged. The house is a ramshackle shell; the furnishing sparse and inadequate; the fields eroded and crop-worn; and nature refuses to cooperate. But he's home again, is Sam Crockett, and the old man's tales grow increasingly picturesque as nostalgia for the days of his youth battles the restrictions of modern fenced-in ranches which curb his hunting and fishing. To city-bred boys there are overwhelming problems of adjustment, particularly to sensitive, frightened Steve. But the family bond was strong, and there was a depth of understanding and sympathy that bridged all gaps — even the seemingly insuperable economic one, while Sam fought through to a measure of success. Throughout, there is a tenuous thread of romance — a bitter story of a battle with a chiselling neighbor — and the intense all-pervading sense of the pull of the country itself. The old grandfather is a grass-roots figure, a humorous, almost folklore character. And how Fred Gipson can write! There isn't the legend in the making quality the other book had- nor the sentimental appeal. But it has a warm humanity and much of poetry too.
Pub Date: Sept. 27, 1950
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1950
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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