The Woods really crank up the wattage for this joy-filled tale of a frog who finds a way to share his bliss. So filled with joie de vivre that his feet barely touch the ground, Jubal invites harried Gerdy Toad, her seven hyperactive toadlets, and Dalbert Lizard, captain of the shabby old Molly Bee, to share a picnic—but Gerdy snaps at him, and Dalbert’s too consumed with melancholy for the good old days. No sooner does Jubal wish that his friends could be as happy as he than, lo and behold, along comes a wizard to grant that wish, though warning that wishes sometimes have surprising ways of working out. The high-intensity illustrations trumpet visual cues to the story’s changing moods; luxuriant banks of flowers along the path darken with the skies when Jubal’s friends still show no signs of change, and as he himself sinks into gloom the rain begins falling—so much rain that Jubal suddenly finds himself in danger of being swept away. To the rescue comes Molly Bee, steered by a reinvigorated Dalbert and sailed by smiling Gerdy and her energetic crew. Off they all sail on a grand adventure, beneath clearing skies and a glowing rainbow. Like their classic Napping House (1984) and King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub (1985), this is a mesmerizing combination of clever, broadly tongue-in-cheek storytelling and elaborate, stylish art. (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-439-16964-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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