A cute zoological tale that’s perfect for preschoolers.
In this illustrated children’s book, a young girl wants to study a giraffe but the animal has other ideas.
Naomi is a curious 8-year-old Black girl with a scientific mind who sets out to learn about giraffes. But what she doesn’t expect is that her chosen subject, Imara, will be just as inquisitive about her. As she takes notes in her blue zoology notebook with her fluffy pink pen, Naomi tries to make worthwhile observations even though she can’t find Imara. She doesn’t know that Imara is actually right behind her the entire time. Parallel to Naomi’s purple-tinted narration are Imara’s own orange-hued thoughts. But the giraffe doesn’t have science on her mind: She’s focused solely on the blue-and-pink heart-shaped tiara Naomi wears, a gift from her grandmother. Imara waits until the perfect moment to snatch it, only to fail and to finally meet Naomi face to face. Naomi then goes home to try to figure out what Imara wants from her. This charming, lively book models for readers the process of making scientific observations and collecting facts. It tells its story quickly and could use fleshing out. Still, the work is able to convey a substantial amount of giraffe-related trivia, both in the text and in the aftermatter depicting Naomi’s notebook. Stoltz and Bailey’s text dances around the illustrations playfully, as when they bend around Imara’s ear, and the sound effects of her chewing appear by her mouth on a page. Bailey’s pictures are simple but expressive, just like the tale itself. Their warm earth tones set readers in a friendly and natural environment, while the colors in Naomi’s outfit bring sparkle to the setting. This story may appeal to preschool fans of television shows such as The Wild Kratts and books like A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2010) by Philip Stead.
A cute zoological tale that’s perfect for preschoolers.Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 9798985195347
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pygmy Giraffe Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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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