The third episode (of a planned six) in this prehistoric epic continues its predecessors’ quick pacing, vivid storytelling and strong connections between human characters and the natural world. When his beloved four-legged companion Wolf is captured by the dreaded Soul Eaters, two-legged Torak pursues past the forests he knows so well and out onto the bitterly hostile northern ice fields. With help from a small band of friendly ice-dwellers, Torak and his loyal if contentious friend Renn learn the requisite survival skills (with plenty of narrow squeaks), and rescue Wolf from a planned blood sacrifice intended to release a horde of demons into this world. But the demons are released anyway, requiring the sacrifice of a life to imprison them again. Once again, Paver tells the tale from both animal and human perspectives, cranks up the suspense and takes her young heroes through deadly encounters with storms, bears (here, polar bears) and spirits, then closes with the revelation of further challenges to be faced in battling the Soul Eaters. Compelling from first page to last. (Fantasy. 11-13)
Pub Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-06-072831-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2007
Bishop’s spectacular photographs of the tiny red-eyed tree frog defeat an incidental text from Cowley (Singing Down the Rain, 1997, etc.). The frog, only two inches long, is enormous in this title; it appears along with other nocturnal residents of the rain forests of Central America, including the iguana, ant, katydid, caterpillar, and moth. In a final section, Cowley explains how small the frog is and aspects of its life cycle. The main text, however, is an afterthought to dramatic events in the photos, e.g., “But the red-eyed tree frog has been asleep all day. It wakes up hungry. What will it eat? Here is an iguana. Frogs do not eat iguanas.” Accompanying an astonishing photograph of the tree frog leaping away from a boa snake are three lines (“The snake flicks its tongue. It tastes frog in the air. Look out, frog!”) that neither advance nor complement the action. The layout employs pale and deep green pages and typeface, and large jewel-like photographs in which green and red dominate. The combination of such visually sophisticated pages and simplistic captions make this a top-heavy, unsatisfying title. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-87175-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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