Appealing, cozy illustrations uplift a fuzzy narrative.
A gathering of woodland animals tries to figure out what “Art” is.
Looking through the window of a snug log cabin in a snowy clearing, Pine Marten watches Human inside and wonders what Human’s up to now. Readers will see that the fairly mature-looking person with light skin and red hair is painting a picture. Chickadee tells Pine Marten it overheard that Human is “The Artist” and is “Making Art.” But “what is Art?” the animals who are gathering wonder. Hare thinks it’s a signal of danger, Coyote thinks it is “a way to find shelter,” and Coyote’s pups think it’s playing. Finally, the cat chimes in from indoors and informs them it is an expert on what Art is. But the cat’s sophisticated (and perhaps tongue-in-cheek) artspeak explanation does nothing to enlighten the animals—and will also be over the heads of most if not all child readers. When Pine Marten has the idea to make marks in the snow with her paws, the other animals follow suit: scratching marks, digging, or just playing. At this point, the narrative stretches laboriously to connect this to the concept of what art is—the disconnect being using animal behaviors as stand-ins for anthropocentric concepts. Happily, the illustrations, with their nature-hued palette, simple, sturdy forms, and good use of white space—suggesting both cozy and outdoorsy—are clearer in their meaning and presentation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.5-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 30.5% actual size.)
Appealing, cozy illustrations uplift a fuzzy narrative. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6419-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25425-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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