An engaging friendship story full of imaginative details for young explorers.
An ordinary play date turns into an extraordinary sensory adventure in this graphic early reader.
An excited Mina visits friend Pie for the first time and quickly learns that Pie’s big house is full of surprises. First, Pie explains, “We always wear costumes at my house,” showing off a red-and-black cape. When Mina can’t decide on a costume, Pie’s mother (who wears pink cat ears) selects a tiara. The Sun Room is lush with plants, including cacti to both touch and not touch; the Crystal Room sparkles; the Quilt Room, for making crafts, is a treasure of textures; floating iridescent bubbles fill the Bubble Room (aka the bathroom); and the Perfumery has so many smells that Mina is overwhelmed. The children go outside to walk the maze and rest in a storage shed that is “warm…dark…and safe.” When Mina remarks, “My house is boring,” Pie helps Mina see that what Mina thinks is familiar is pretty special too. As a last sensory experience, Mina bravely tries the outdoor lunch, replete with foods unfamiliar to Mina (but possibly quite familiar to readers). Knetzger’s candy-colored panels overflow with whimsy; readers may be as relieved as Mina for the respite in the shed. The faux hand-lettered, adjective-rich text features short sentences but little repetition, suiting it for somewhat experienced readers. Mina has very light brown skin; Pie and Pie’s mom are extremely pale. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An engaging friendship story full of imaginative details for young explorers. (Graphic early reader. 5-7)Pub Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4497-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fast and furious action guaranteed to keep new readers laughing and turning pages.
Never underestimate the chaotic fun that magic and an angry bouncing ball can create.
When Frog goes to the library, he borrows a book on magic. He then heads to a nearby park to read up on the skills necessary to becoming “a great magician.” Suddenly, a deflated yellow ball lands with a “Thud!” at his feet. Although he flexes his new magician muscles, Frog’s spells fall as flat as the ball. But when Frog shouts “Phooey!” and kicks the ball away, it inflates to become a big, angry ball. The ball begins to chase Frog, so he seeks shelter in the library—and Frog and ball turn the library’s usual calm into chaos. The cartoon chase crescendos. The ball bounces into the middle of a game of chess, interrupts a puppet show, and crashes into walls and bookcases. Staying just one bounce ahead, Frog runs, hides, grabs a ride on a book cart, and scatters books and papers as he slides across the library furniture before an alligator patron catches the ball and kicks it out the library door. But that’s not the end of the ball….Caple’s tidy panels and pastel-hued cartoons make a surprisingly effective setting for the slapstick, which should have young readers giggling. Simple sentences—often just subject and verb—with lots of repetition propel the action. Frog’s nonsense-word spells (“Poof Wiffle, Bop Bip!”) are both funny and excellent practice in phonetics. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Fast and furious action guaranteed to keep new readers laughing and turning pages. (Graphic early reader. 5-7)Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4341-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
This tater trio, and worm, will keep readers laughing, singing, and cheering from the first page to the last.
One grumbly day, two mutant tater brothers vie to determine who is the greatest in the world.
It’s goofy-looking Rot Poe Tater, with an awesome unibrow and “surprisingly sturdy stick legs,” versus big brother Snot, a sleepy, upset couch potato with bedhead. Tot, their “usually super chipper” little sister, acts as the judge. The first challenge, a potato sack race with shades of “The Tortoise and the Hare,” ends in a tie. The second contest is Hot Potato Hill, where the brothers must roll down a hill after Tot. No one wins, and the third contest is a laugh-off. Rot declares he’s laughing so hard that he needs to pee his pants but then remembers he doesn’t wear pants. When Rot and Snot are laughed out, Tot is still giggling. That’s when the plot twists and twists again. The text, primarily boastful speech-bubble banter between Rot and Snot, also contains songs, cheers from an enthusiastic worm, and fun wordplay, including alliterative places names like Barrel Bottom Bog and the Moldy Mounds. Text in a smaller typeface alternates with graphic panels, keeping the action moving. Expressive potato faces make the action and emotions clear. Fans of the picture book Rot: The Cutest in the World (2016) will enjoy seeing the protagonist again; Clanton relies on the same simple yet expressive cartoon illustrations and humor.
This tater trio, and worm, will keep readers laughing, singing, and cheering from the first page to the last. (pictures of other taters who have excelled in the Hot Potato Hill challenge, facts about potatoes, lesson on how to draw Rot) (Graphic novel. 5-7)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9318-6
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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