A wholesome, solid story with fun characters.
Classroom pet mice Fergus and Zeke work on a Presidents Day project.
As Miss Maxwell’s students discuss good qualities for presidents to have and ways in which eligibility requirements have evolved to allow women and people of color to run for office, Zeke dons a cotton ball wig as President “George Mousington.” At the library, as the students work on their projects, the mice struggle with their own division of labor, with President Zeke considering his “supervising” equal to Fergus’ research. With the project presentations rapidly approaching—and the mice no closer to deciding upon their subject—Fergus thinks of what he wants in a president, prompting him to stand up to Zeke: “All mice are created equal.” The kids—and the use of historical and presidential facts—are a backdrop to the engaging storyline of Zeke’s comedically flawed (and likably relatable) self-centeredness, but the value-driven thematic inspiration is an effective motivator for Fergus’ assertiveness. The resulting combination of silliness and broad-strokes idealism creates a rounded story structure without heavy tension. Finally, the human students show off their projects and discuss what they would do if they were president, briefly revealing concerns involving the environment, housing, gender equality, food insecurity—and eliminating homework. Miss Maxwell presents White, librarian Mr. Diaz is Latine, and the students are diverse.
A wholesome, solid story with fun characters. (Early reader. 6-9)Pub Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1831-2
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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