A tongue-in-cheek history of backpacks from prehistory to the 21st century kicks off O’Malley’s comics-inspired collection of four short tales. Apparently backpacks were first invented by Roscoe the caveman, who slung a fur pouch on his back with disastrous results: His friends beat him, thinking he was being attacked by a beaver. In “Volcano,” Brendan can’t get his volcano to erupt for the science fair, but the right mix of mess in his backpack (secret ingredient: one hairy piece of candy) makes it explode and earns him an A. Then Ashley is on her way to another boring day at school when three disasters strike. She turns into Jet Super Backpack Girl and saves the day. Then in “Day of the Living Backpack,” Captain Cable, a boy watching television before school, keeps putting things in his backpack, which just makes it hungrier. When it tries to eat his TV set, he shows it who’s boss. The panel illustrations for each story vary accordingly and aptly in style, size and medium. A pleasing diversion for anyone who’s ever lugged a zillion-pound backpack. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8075-0504-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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