Competently depicts the effects of pollution and climate change on marine life.
In Mancuso’s illustrated children’s tale, three mermaids demonstrate ocean conservation by saving various sea creatures.
Mermaids Sara, Alix, and Lucy are playing in the waves when they see their friend Tony the Turtle acting strangely in “the place where the ocean waves break.” Concerned, Alix quickly realizes he must be cold-stunned; the mermaids need to get him to warm water pronto. They enlist the help of Beth, a human with connections to the Marine Animal Rescue, and the four transport the sea turtle to safety. This encounter inspires the mermaid trio to form an animal rescue committee, which assists a flamingo with plastic wrapped around its beak, a dolphin caught in a net, and a manatee recently hit by a jet ski. Mancuso effectively conveys how humans’ actions affect aquatic life, and Guidi’s digital art colorfully depicts the animals and their habitats. The mermaids resolve their central concern of rescuing Tony very quickly, which makes for a truncated story arc but allows the tale to showcase the plight of multiple animals. The narration unfolds via informative but uneven couplets: “Dottie the dolphin was entangled and twisted in an old fishing net. Lucy yelled, ‘She can’t move. She must have a 100 pounds of line on her, I bet!’ ” In addition, the storyline illustrates several next steps for tackling environmental issues but is light on resources. Still, this follow-up to The Fin-Tastic Cleanup(2021) may appeal to kids who care about our oceans. Reminiscent of TV shows The Magic School Bus and I Can Save the Ocean! by Allison Inches; a glossary and facts about turtles, flamingos, dolphins, and manatees are included.
Competently depicts the effects of pollution and climate change on marine life. (Picture book for ages 3-5.)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63755-257-5
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Mascot Kids
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2022
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
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BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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