An inspired and strikingly original riff on the back-to-school experience.
An extraplanetary, extraordinary first week of school.
The first day begins with a line of cars in a drop-off queue and a group of racially diverse kids making their way into the building. Inside we see the ambitious Inventor, the self-critical Artist, a group of friends who refer to themselves as the “SPORT KINGS,” Pat, the classroom bearded dragon, and, notably, an empty desk: “Nobody sits here, but a new student is coming next week.” Nothing seems amiss until recess. There’s a strange sound, and a beam from outer space appears, but no one notices…except Pat. The beam is carrying Nobody, a one-eyed sea-foam green extraterrestrial who, despite Pat’s impressive attempts to alert everyone, integrates seamlessly into the classroom. Nobody is curious and observant, befriending a trepidatious Pat, discovering the Artist’s discarded work, and noticing that there’s “a problem with the vortex calculator on the Inventor’s machine.” In a charmingly guileless way, he calls attention to the Artist’s work, thus turning the class into art aficionados, and quietly leaves a necessary part for the Inventor’s machine before slipping away. The pictures have tremendous crayon-colored kid appeal, and the text is clever and funny. Observant readers will find many delicious surprises, and the twist at the end is a genuine delight.
An inspired and strikingly original riff on the back-to-school experience. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9781665940429
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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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