Three cheers for Norman the amazing goldfish—and this charming story!
Norman the goldfish is an amazing pet. He can perform several tricks in his bowl and even sing, but there’s one thing Norman can’t do: perform for others.
On the day of the Pet-O-Rama pet talent show, Norman and his human (who narrates) get in line to participate. Once inside, Norman and the child meet Ben and Dylan with their dog, Mustard, who does karate. Ben and Dylan taunt Norman and his pal, but the child is undaunted, ready to prove to everyone just how “amazing” Norman is. When it’s Norman’s turn, the child tries hard to get the fish to perform, but the duo falls short with one failed trick after another. Poor Norman has stage fright. Here, Jones’ cartoon illustrations of the comically panic-stricken goldfish, dorsal fin drooping, will elicit both chuckles and sympathy. The protagonist gives Norman a bit of a pep talk, pulls out a tuba (rather magically, as it did not seem to travel to the talent show with the pair), plays a song, and finally gets Norman to show everyone just how amazing he is. This is a fun read whether shared with a group or a child in a lap. The story moves quickly, and the bright, mostly full-bleed artwork will keep the attention of young readers. Norman’s human presents Black, and the supporting cast is diverse.
Three cheers for Norman the amazing goldfish—and this charming story! (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0671-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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