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THE PEDDLER'S BED

Name: THE PEDDLER'S BED
Author: Lauri Fortino
ISBN: 978-0-9913866-3-5

by Lauri Fortino ; illustrated by Bong Redila ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015

Lovely.

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Who, really, is the peddler in the yellow bow tie?

A little old man is watering his garden when a squeak squeak squeak gets his attention. In the distance on the narrow country road, he sees a peddler driving his cart. The old man's dog, Happy, barks in welcome. The old man notices a beautiful bed on the top of the cart, and the courtly peddler, whose blue tailcoat matches his bowler, is happy to bring it down—but the old man hasn’t any way to pay for it. The peddler makes a bargain: if the old man can make it squeak by the end of the day, it will be his. But the bed is so sturdy it never squeaks, unlike the door of the old man's house, his water pump, a field mouse being chased by Happy, and so on. The old man invites the peddler in for a cup of tea and a bit of conversation, giving the peddler a chance to see the extent of the old man’s humble circumstances. The old man is never able to make the bed squeak, but a little kind trickery from the peddler ensures his peaceful rest. Fortino's subtle story of kindness and courtesy features plenty of read-aloud–friendly repetition and onomatopoeia. Redila's palette has the color and clarity of stained glass, and his figures are slightly exaggerated, suggesting Baum's original Oz.

Lovely. (Picture book. 6-9)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-9913866-3-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Ripple Grove

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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LITTLE DAYMOND LEARNS TO EARN

by Daymond John ; illustrated by Nicole Miles ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2023

It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.

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How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!

John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)

Pub Date: March 21, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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HORRIBLE HARRY SAYS GOODBYE

From the Horrible Harry series , Vol. 37

by Suzy Kline ; illustrated by Amy Wummer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 27, 2018

A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode.

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A long-running series reaches its closing chapters.

Having, as Kline notes in her warm valedictory acknowledgements, taken 30 years to get through second and third grade, Harry Spooger is overdue to move on—but not just into fourth grade, it turns out, as his family is moving to another town as soon as the school year ends. The news leaves his best friend, narrator “Dougo,” devastated…particularly as Harry doesn’t seem all that fussed about it. With series fans in mind, the author takes Harry through a sort of last-day-of-school farewell tour. From his desk he pulls a burned hot dog and other items that featured in past episodes, says goodbye to Song Lee and other classmates, and even (for the first time ever) leads Doug and readers into his house and memento-strewn room for further reminiscing. Of course, Harry isn’t as blasé about the move as he pretends, and eyes aren’t exactly dry when he departs. But hardly is he out of sight before Doug is meeting Mohammad, a new neighbor from Syria who (along with further diversifying a cast that began as mostly white but has become increasingly multiethnic over the years) will also be starting fourth grade at summer’s end, and planning a written account of his “horrible” buddy’s exploits. Finished illustrations not seen.

A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode. (Fiction. 7-9)