An accessible, appealing introduction for beginning artists.
Thirteen diverse artists deliver step-by-step instructions for drawing characters, objects, and features.
A short, upbeat preface encourages aspiring artists to find a style that works for them, spend plenty of time practicing, and embrace a “no rules” approach to creativity. Each double-page spread features numbered instructions paired with a full-color finished drawing, several “Tips and Tricks," and a photograph of the artist. The kid-appealing subjects include a ninja, superhero, wizard, and astronaut, with the titular catchall “people” stretched to include Wook Jin Jung’s robot and C.G. Esperanza’s robustly embellished sneaker. Kyle Beckett covers cartoonish facial expressions, while Ángeles Ruiz offers examples of boys’ and girls’ haircuts. Approaches to the steps and tips vary among the artists. Lian An-Lin’s approach to drawing a biker, which appends a thoughtful suggestion to each of six steps, is among the most child-friendly. Several artists provide ideas for creating the illusion of form by using shading and color variations. Colin Bootman’s pirate has an androgynous appearance; Tim Palin encourages artists to jazz up their images of a clown by playing around with clothing and makeup. The strength of this work is in the practicing artists’ varied styles and their collective, dual emphasis on technical tips and readers’ own imaginative choices. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An accessible, appealing introduction for beginning artists. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781478876137
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Reycraft Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good overview of this complex, essential organ, with an energetic seasoning of silliness.
An introduction to the lead guitar and vocalist for the Brainiacs—the human brain.
The brain (familiar to readers of Seluk’s “The Awkward Yeti” webcomic, which spun off the adult title Heart and Brain, 2015) looks like a dodgeball with arms and legs—pinkish, sturdy, and roundish, with a pair of square-framed spectacles bestowing an air of importance and hipness. Other organs of the body—tongue, lungs, stomach, muscle, and heart—are featured as members of the brain’s rock band (the verso of the dust jacket is a poster of the band). Seluk’s breezy, conversational prose and brightly colored, boldly outlined cartoon illustrations deliver basic information. The brain’s role in keeping the heart beating and other automatic functions, directing body movements, interpreting sights and sounds, remembering smells and tastes, and regulating sleep and hunger are all explained, prose augmented by dialogue balloons and information sidebars. Seluk points out, importantly, that feelings originate in the brain: “You can control how you react…but your feelings happen no matter what.” The parodied album covers on the front endpapers (including the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Green Day, Run DMC, Queen, Nirvana) will amuse parents—or at least grandparents—and the rear endpapers serve up band members’ clever social media and texting screenshots. Backmatter includes a glossary and further brain trivia but no resources or bibliography.
A good overview of this complex, essential organ, with an energetic seasoning of silliness. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-16700-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s worth a look, but it won’t be a star player in any collection.
Let’s talk about animal adaptations!
Preschoolers are naturally curious and are filled with a million and one questions (on a slow day). Kaner takes on some animal-themed questions by examining how different species of animals have adapted to deal with chilly weather. The species are international: Alaskan wood frogs, Japanese macaques, and guanacos share the book with more familiar species such as squirrels, butterflies, and penguins. Some species are rather far-reaching. Are tuataras on a preschooler’s radar? And although a beaver opens the book with a fanciful scenario in which it turns up a thermostat, it’s never revealed how beavers stay warm. Resourceful educators may use these more unusual species as a launchpad for further exploration. Martz’s illustrations, which appear to be digital, humorously support the text throughout. Disappointingly, however the design of the book fails to take advantage of the page turn. The questions Kaner asks (“Do honeybees use teamwork?”) are answered across the gutter, effectively stopping all open-ended discussion among readers. This is unfortunate because it greatly limits the use of the book or requires jury-rigged props to promote critical-thinking and discussion skills. Furthermore, there is no backmatter with further reading or more information about the animal species discussed.
It’s worth a look, but it won’t be a star player in any collection. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77147-292-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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