PLB 0-531-33137-7 At night, everyone in the family from the father to the dog is tuckered out, but when Uncle starts to tune his fiddle, toes start tapping and hands begin clapping. The energy of music will fuel the imaginations of those who loved Gray’s My Mama Had a Dancing Heart (1995). Exhilarating nonsense phrases reproduce the sounds of this bluegrass band: “Pick-a-pluck-a-plum” sings Miss Essie’s banjo; “Shu-sha-shu/Rick-a-rack-a-MEW!” is the sound of square dancers gliding around the room, while a cat dodges among their feet. The music brings the whole valley to life as the neighbors join in, and by the time everyone leaves, the big full moon is peeking over the hill. Bloom’s gentle illustrations conjure up the soft nights of early summer, the air scented with flowering trees and ringing with tunes. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-531-30137-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This latest Froggy title (Froggy Goes to School, 1996, etc.) is utterly unfocused, with the star careening from soccer dolt to Mr. Superkick. Froggy’s team has a big game coming up with the Wild Things, and he is trying to remember the mantra his father, and assistant coach, taught him: “Head it! Boot it! Knee it! Shoot it! But don’t use your hands!” But illegally touching the ball seems to be the least of Froggy’s worries; distraction is his problem. He is so busy turning cartwheels, tying his shoes, and more, that the only time he makes contact with the ball is when it bounces off his head by mistake. Then, when the Wild Things make a breakaway, Froggy has some dazzling moves to avert a score, but forgetfully grabs the ball at the last second. The other team gets a penalty kick, converts it, but then Froggy makes a field-long kick for a game-winning score. London forces Froggy into too many guises—the fool, the hero, the klutz, the fancy dancer—but none of them stick. Remkiewicz’s illustrations have charm; it is in their appeal that this book will find its audience. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-670-88257-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This tribute overflows with the gleeful, impassioned zest that is part and parcel of being a toddler. Comprised of 16 vignettes, readers can shimmy and shake with “Stomping Time,” learn about shapes and colors, twirl about, splash in a puddle, indulge in a temper tantrum (as is realistically re-enacted in the appropriately titled poem “NO!”) and much more, finally concluding with “ZZZZ,” which pays homage to bedtime restlessness. The crisp rhymes blend commonplace observances with a smattering of silliness: “Paddle in a pool,/surf in the sea./Dance through a sprinkler . . . /But no bath for me!” In short, Simon (The Topsy- Turvies, 1996, etc.) covers the minutiae of everyday life, the play that is frequently overlooked yet remains essential to learning. Soft pastel illustrations masterfully capture the facets of toddlerhood; children leap across the pages expressing every emotion of the text, stated or not. An exuberant celebration. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-531-30120-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1999
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