In the end, the most notable feature of the book may be that the setting is a sleep-away summer camp rather than a backyard
There’s s’more to camping with a dragon than meets the eye.
Lots of kids are scared at their first day of sleep-away camp, and dragons are no different. Taking pity on a quaking reptile, the human narrator offers to be his buddy. A dragon should be a fun companion, but when swimming, sailing, tug of war, archery, horseback riding, and even a puppet show go wrong, the two become the camp pariahs. The narrator even begins to rethink their choice of buddy. When Dragon’s attempts to remove a spider get a bit incendiary, it’s the final straw, and the narrator throws him out of the tent. Then Dragon disappears. All the campers go searching for him, becoming frightened by the growling of something big and scary in the forest. Then Dragon appears, and “the angry creature is gone.” The bulk of the book is a pedantic tale advocating patience with those who are different, while the climax is simply confusing: Was Dragon the “angry creature,” or did he scare one away, as the campers believe? Happily the bright and cheery illustrations compensate for the text. Though the dragon remains mute, the art renders him expressive and emotional. The narrator is a blond, pigtailed, bespectacled white child, while the other campers display some diversity.
In the end, the most notable feature of the book may be that the setting is a sleep-away summer camp rather than a backyard . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1993-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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