Crocodile thinks Hen would make a mighty tasty chicken dinner, until Hen stops him with his jaws agape with a simple, powerful statement: “My brother, don’t eat me.” Hen confidently turns her back on danger and walks away, leaving Crocodile mystified as to how he can be her brother since they are so different. The patterned story continues with Crocodile longing to devour Hen, and Hen repeating her calm mantra. Crocodile enumerates the differences between the two species, questions other animals about the supposed familial connection, and finally receives an answer from his friend Lizard, who points out that all animals who lay eggs are related, and thus brothers and sisters in a way. Lexau based this skillfully told, mid-level easy reader on a Bakongo folktale from the Republic of the Congo, and this version is a newly illustrated and revised version of her story, originally published in 1969. Cushman (What Moms Can’t Do, 2000, etc.) adds to the humor of the tale with his expressive animal characters in pen and ink with a watercolor wash. Beginning readers will eat up this simple but satisfying story with a clever moral, a bit of science, and one hilarious slip from the hungry crocodile: “How good to eat you. Oops, I mean meet you again, Sister.” Thoughtful teachers and parents might use this book to spark a discussion of tolerance and harmony among diverse groups or even to introduce the principles of nonviolent resistance and worldwide brother- and sisterhood. (author’s note) (Easy reader/folktale. 5-8)
Pub Date: April 30, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-028486-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
The wriggly narrator of Diary of a Worm (2003) puts in occasional appearances, but it’s his arachnid buddy who takes center stage here, with terse, tongue-in-cheek comments on his likes (his close friend Fly, Charlotte’s Web), his dislikes (vacuums, people with big feet), nervous encounters with a huge Daddy Longlegs, his extended family—which includes a Grandpa more than willing to share hard-won wisdom (The secret to a long, happy life: “Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)—and mishaps both at spider school and on the human playground. Bliss endows his garden-dwellers with faces and the odd hat or other accessory, and creates cozy webs or burrows colorfully decorated with corks, scraps, plastic toys and other human detritus. Spider closes with the notion that we could all get along, “just like me and Fly,” if we but got to know one another. Once again, brilliantly hilarious. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000153-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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