Willy’s a winner.
Really splendid artwork—something Caldecott Medallist Simont has been noted for in the past 60 years—sets this book skipping like a stone on water.
The tale revolves around a family and the dog they meet during a picnic in the park. He’s a scruffy item, but game to share the family’s lunch and join in the festivities. “They named him Willy.” When it’s time for them to go, the family has to leave the mutt: “ ‘He must belong to somebody,’ explained the mother, ‘and they would miss him.’ ” Simont’s illustration is the car, headlights on, blurry image of parents in the front window, and two small arms reaching out the passenger side. On the opposite page sits the dog, rendered small and alone. All that next week their thoughts drift to Willy—double pages show each family member so deep in thought that the ball is dropped, the pot is boiling over, the coffee is pouring over the edge of the cup. When they return to the park the following weekend, they are delighted to see him again. Only this time Willy motors by them at warp speed, with the dog warden in hot pursuit. Once he is netted, the officer tells the children that Willy is a stray. “He has no collar. He has no leash,” says the warden. The boy volunteers his belt as a collar, the girl offers her hair ribbon as a leash, and a pet is born. The language here is simple, sweet, and expressive, as is the sure-handed art. Varying between double-paged full-bleeds to vignettes placed on white backgrounds, the illustrations are pure Simont, from the perfectly captured family scenes to Willy streaking by and then cowering under the net. The sentiments are equally direct and elegant, with generosity and affection mingling like waters in a bath.
Willy’s a winner. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-028933-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2000
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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