An enchanting debut that captures the magic of nighttime backyard music.
The sounds of night lull young listeners to sleep in this vibrant debut illustrated children’s book from author/illustrator Weiss.
Evening approaches, and children put away their toys and get ready for bed. As they prepare for sleep, they see lights through their window—not just the moon and stars, “but sparkles of light, / glowing golden / and bright, / as fireflies flicker / and twirl in the night!” These aren’t the only nocturnal visitors: The poem’s narrator also describes luna moths, frogs, songbirds at night, crickets, and other humming insects. After reading storybooks and getting tucked into bed, the kids listen to creature sounds—a lullaby that ushers them off to sleep. An author’s note describes this book as having started as an art project, and Weiss’ acrylic-on-canvas paintings are absolutely an eye-catching draw. Her stylized, full-color images give even realistic settings a magical, whimsical feel, whether they feature curvy houses with conical roofs, a tricycle that looks meant for fairies to ride, or an hourglass-shaped cat with a spiral tail looking out a nighttime window. Weiss makes great use of the musical concept, putting fireflies directly onto a musical staff on the front and end pages. In one starry two-page spread, musical notes float in the night sky, forming treble and bass clef symbols in a wispy mist. On the final page, notes dance across the grass and river, while trees seem to sway rhythmically in the background. The bold, bright colors depicted in the beginning pages’ sunset are soon replaced by pages dominated with blues and purples, but they never feel dreary; while the deeper hues offer a sleepy feel, it’s too dreamlike to ever be dull. The poetry flows beautifully, as well, its scansion as steady and calming as the lullaby it mimics. The soothing tempo seems perfectly designed for lap readers listening as an adult rocks them to the beat of the poem’s music. Some of the more challenging vocabulary words (nocturnal, symphony) are defined for independent readers in a short glossary.
An enchanting debut that captures the magic of nighttime backyard music.Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781737586906
Page Count: 32
Publisher: TricycleBooks.com
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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