Young children are capable of boundless empathy, as this charming story illustrates. Like most children, Katie has a stuffed toy that she takes everywhere with her. Rabbit is “her most favorite thing in the world.” Katie knows that her Grandpa’s favorite thing is his dog, Billy. They do everything together. But one Saturday when Katie visits, Billy doesn’t greet her at the door—he is sick and needs an operation. After a trip to the vet, Katie and Grandpa return to a house that is very empty without the loyal little dog. When it’s time to go home, Katie gives Rabbit a big hug and then selflessly hands him to Grandpa so he won’t be so lonely without Billy. While Katie has a tough weekend with several Rabbit substitutes, Grandpa’s wait for his best friend is eased by snuggling Rabbit. Thompson’s (Around the Day: Rhyme Time, not reviewed, etc.) touching watercolors set just the right tone for this tale of generosity and love, with warm colors and wonderfully expressive faces filling the pages. Moon (Penguins in the Fridge, 1996, etc.) has crafted a beautiful story celebrating all the love a young girl has to give. (Picture book.4 -8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-525-46780-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2001
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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