This sequel is far from a dinosnore; here’s to joining these two pals on all their future adventures.
If Abbot and Costello were rendered canine (and alive) they might well resemble this intrepid, dino-hunting doggie duo.
Tank, a Great Dane with a nose for excitement, and Haggis, her smaller, saner Scottish terrier companion, are pulled into another adventure thanks to a book on dinosaurs. As in their previous imaginative outing (All Paws on Deck, 2015), Tank is the instigator, hoping to find any dinos that might be hiding nearby. And for all that he fusses and moans, Haggis is just as game to play pretend as his stalwart, oversized companion. As before, the action largely takes place in graphic panels featuring dialogue bubbles, lightly stitched together by brief sentences of exposition. Engaging in homophone-heavy dialogue (Haggis: “You never know…” Tank: “Actually, I no a lot! In fact, I no as much as I yes”) and featuring the same dramatic beats as its predecessor (including the last-minute save by their owner, oblivious to her pets’ overactive fantasies), this latest walk on the wild side will please the pair’s fans, though it won’t offer them anything particularly new. That said, the wordplay is lively, gently challenging new readers with its snappy dialogue that sometimes requires multiple reads.
This sequel is far from a dinosnore; here’s to joining these two pals on all their future adventures. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-81889-6
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Branches/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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