A jaunt to the seashore has an unexpected ending for a young explorer who investigates the sea using her five senses. In turn, the sea seems to examine the little girl. “I touched the cold and foamy wet. We splashed and danced each time we met.” Cash’s simple rhymes offer readers playful, easily grasped examples of the five senses: the tangy smell of the air, the roar of the waves, etc. A close encounter with an inquisitive jellyfish puts an end to the girl’s fun. At that point the young protagonist erupts into a fury of toddler proportions. “Stupid water! Stupid land! Stupid salt! Stupid sand!” Her tirade continues for two pages, as she castigates the sea and its creatures. The realistically rendered tantrum is certain to cause a cascade of giggles from young readers, although whether adults will wish to share the vituperative outpouring of the word “stupid” with their children or charges is another story. The comic edge of the illustrations takes the sting, so to speak, out of the debatable word choice, humorously depicting the young girl stomping about with a ferocious scowl. A soothing soak in the tub returns the child’s equanimity and, with that, her fondness for the sea. Cash’s brightly colored pictures offer an engaging range of perspectives to intrigue readers. Brilliant swaths of blue flow across the white backdrop of the horizon, vibrantly contrasting with the intense yellow hues of the beach. Comical touches keep the laughs coming—as in the two-page spread which depicts the girl hollering full tilt in the back of her car while at the side of the road, an apologetic-looking jellyfish dolefully watches the passing vehicle. However, the sparkling artwork and initially effervescent tone is somewhat dimmed by the capricious twists of the tale. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-670-89966-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...
Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.
The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-4779-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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