A stunning tribute that will make future conservationists out of all who read it.
So many things on our planet are connected.
Using a cumulative nursery rhyme format similar to “The House That Jack Built,” the text begins with “This is the planet where I live” and slowly builds to give a simple but detailed account of ecosystems and the food web. While the rhyming text is appropriate for younger readers, skillful storytellers may want to use this book with older children as well to help start discussions of conservation, science, and even climate change. The verses themselves are magnificent, culminating in a story that’s equally pleasing to say aloud as it is to consider: “These are the creatures / who live and die / deep in the oceans / on which we rely / to produce the clouds / that coast and cry / to water the trees / that stretch up high / giving nests to the birds / who soar in the sky / who feed on the insects / who fly nearby. // Animals, fields, / shelter for friends, / every creature alive / on each other depends— / all on the planet / where we live.” Though the text is a delight, the collage illustrations are the real stars of the show, a mix of Matisse-inspired art and photography. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A stunning tribute that will make future conservationists out of all who read it. (Informational picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6563-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
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