Swashbuckling abounds, but even lively antics can’t quite keep this ship afloat.
The world’s most frightening pirate meets his match…rubber ducky–style.
“Grislygrin was the scariest pirate of the Seven Seas of all time,” begins this import translated from the Spanish. How scary is he? So scary that every time he walks the deck, his crew (depicted as kids with a variety of skin tones; Grislygrin is tan-skinned) run in fear. Fear, that is, until the day one of his crew sneaks into his room at night and exchanges his wooden leg for a rubber duck. On subsequent nights, the leg is swapped for a spring and then a rambunctious dog. It’s only when his leg is exchanged for a pencil that Grislygrin starts writing stories with every step, and everyone is happier for it. Much of the repetition in the text (“The whole crew was afraid…very veeery afraid!”) makes it clear that this is a book earmarked for read-alouds. The vibrant, exuberant art appears to always be in motion and can easily be seen across the room. The child crew itself straddles the line between terrified and delighted as they run from their leader. However, some readers may be put off by the notion of changing out the limbs of people with disabilities for gags. The energy is high, but the book cannot avoid its central premise. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Swashbuckling abounds, but even lively antics can’t quite keep this ship afloat. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-84-17673-65-9
Page Count: 44
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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