A thrilling look at the benefits of connecting with the natural world and listening to one’s instincts.
A young boy discovers that he can learn a lot from others if he just pays attention.
Tan-skinned Salvatore and his family live on a goat farm at the base of Mount Etna. He bonds with a herding dog named Gina and the goats, led by Bianca. One day, Salvatore takes the herd up the mountain on his own, without Papa’s guidance, to graze on fresh herbs. As they ascend, the animals act strangely—much to Salvatore’s chagrin. Gina barks, the goats buck wildly, and all refuse to move. Though Papa’s words (“YOU herd the goats. They don’t herd you”) echo in his mind, he realizes that something’s wrong as Mount Etna starts to smoke and spew lava. The herd safely leads Gina and Salvatore down to their home thanks to their natural intuition. The author, coordinator of the ICARUS Project, a group that works to “make the extraordinary sensory capabilities of many animals useful to humans,” based the story on an incident at the real Mount Etna in Sicily. Her text and Lane’s dreamy, delicately rendered art will leave readers with an appreciation for the natural world. Lane’s portrayal of the goat herd showcases their humanity, with their playfully arched backs and expressive faces. Backmatter includes more information on Müller’s work and how it can contribute to creating more advanced warning systems for natural disasters—a must, given how these events have increased due to climate change.
A thrilling look at the benefits of connecting with the natural world and listening to one’s instincts. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781771649285
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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