A third cat tale is on the way—cat fanciers, get ready.
Meow. Following Macavity: The Mystery Cat (2016), another devious cat from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (originally published in 1939) makes his appearance. This time, it’s Mr. Mistoffelees.
“For performing surprising illusions… // And creating eccentric confusions. / At prestidigitation / And at legerdemain / He’ll defy examination / And deceive you again.” Even great magicians have something to learn from Mr. Mistoffelees. Whether cutting a dog in half, performing card tricks, or doing stunts with a cork or a knife and spoon, there’s no doubt that Mr. Mistoffelees is a magical cat! As in the earlier companion book, it’s Robins’ lively, clever illustrations that pull the humor out of the hat and animate the story. Children will cheer as he sneaks through an impossibly tiny crack to snatch a very large fish and then slinks off with it “on the narrowest rail” of an ornamental fence. It doesn’t matter that young kids will not be familiar with the original source; they will simply be delighted with the rhyming text and the reactions to his humorous acts. Mr. Mistoffelees is a jaunty, disheveled charmer, black fur, red vest, and striped bow tie with top hat (of course) and magic wand. The hand-lettered text adds to the sprightliness.
A third cat tale is on the way—cat fanciers, get ready. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-571-32222-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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