A charming interpretation of a Hindu myth.
Haynes and Patel retell the story of Ganesha and Kartikeya’s race around the world.
Divine siblings Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of beginnings, and Kartikeya, the god of war, find a mango that they are unable to share. Their parents, the god Shiva and the goddess Parvati, explain that because the family received the mango from the gods, it has magical properties. Notably, it can only be eaten by someone who wins it in a competition. Delighted, the athletic Kartikeya suggests that the two brothers compete by racing around the world. Ganesha, who is no physical match for his brother, tries to change his sibling’s mind. The tactic backfires: Shiva, overhearing the conversation, declares that the two boys should circle the Earth three times instead of just once. While Kartikeya eagerly jets into orbit, Ganesha decides to do what he does best and uses his brain instead of his body. Ganesha is sure he is going to lose until the last minute, when a revelation from the Vedas—Hinduism’s holy scriptures—gives him the solution he needs. This version of a popular Hindu tale is witty, clever, and entertaining, focusing on the story rather than the moral. Ganesha is an endearing hero, and laudably, the vibrant, quirky illustrations, full of geometric shapes and eye-catching patterns, include dark-skinned versions of the gods. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming interpretation of a Hindu myth. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781797224855
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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