by Piet Grobler & illustrated by Piet Grobler ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 2002
Presented as original but with folkloric antecedents, this tale of a greedy frog who swallows up every drop of water features a cast of stylized South African creatures, and an informal tone: “ ‘Hey Frog,’ they shouted. ‘Unzip those lips before you pop!’ ” But Frog will not, despite the best efforts of Lion, who tries to scratch him, Crocodile, who tries to scare him, Crow, who hopes that his insults will provoke a retort, and other thirsty beasts, all with their own plans. Then, in yet another case of information trumping blunt force, the Eels, who alone know Frog’s weakness, tickle him till he roars with mirth, releasing the pent-up flood. Grobler (Doctor Me Di Cin, 2001, etc.) could have done a little homework, but despite the lack of a source note, the whimsically clever art in this import makes a lively alternative to Susan L. Roth’s Biggest Frog in Australia (1996) or Susan Nunes’s Tiddalik the Frog (1989)—and comes to a less violent end than Pete Seeger’s Foolish Frog (1973). (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2002
ISBN: 1-886910-84-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2002
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More by John Agard
BOOK REVIEW
by John Agard ; illustrated by Piet Grobler
BOOK REVIEW
by Dianne Hofmeyr ; illustrated by Piet Grobler
BOOK REVIEW
by Dianne Hofmeyr ; illustrated by Piet Grobler
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 4, 2014
Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler—heck, every human: “Waiting is not easy!”
When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the “surprise is a surprise.” Gerald pumps Piggie for information (it’s big, it’s pretty, and they can share it), but Piggie holds fast on this basic principle: Gerald will have to wait. Gerald lets out an almighty “GROAN!” Variations on this basic exchange occur throughout the day; Gerald pleads, Piggie insists they must wait; Gerald groans. As the day turns to twilight (signaled by the backgrounds that darken from mauve to gray to charcoal), Gerald gets grumpy. “WE HAVE WASTED THE WHOLE DAY!…And for WHAT!?” Piggie then gestures up to the Milky Way, which an awed Gerald acknowledges “was worth the wait.” Willems relies even more than usual on the slightest of changes in posture, layout and typography, as two waiting figures can’t help but be pretty static. At one point, Piggie assumes the lotus position, infuriating Gerald. Most amusingly, Gerald’s elephantine groans assume weighty physicality in spread-filling speech bubbles that knock Piggie to the ground. And the spectacular, photo-collaged images of the Milky Way that dwarf the two friends makes it clear that it was indeed worth the wait.
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends . (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9957-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 5, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More In The Series
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
More by Jarrett Pumphrey
BOOK REVIEW
by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey with Mo Willems ; illustrated by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
by Kate DiCamillo & illustrated by Chris Van Dusen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2005
Hilarity and hijinks abound in this tale about a voracious swine with an overweening yen for hot buttered toast. Mercy is the beloved pet pig of the doting Mr. and Mrs. Watson. When Mercy sneaks into her owner’s bed one night, her added heft causes the bed to fall partway through the ceiling. Although the besotted Watsons assume Mercy is trotting off to seek help, the only search and rescue Mercy seems to care about involves butter and hot bread. In her quest for some midnight munchies, Mercy awakens the crotchety neighbor. Wild chases and mayhem ensue before help arrives in the guise of firefighters. DiCamillo aims for over-the-top fun with her tale of porcine shenanigans, and Van Dusen’s gouache illustrations provide a comical counterpart to the text. The glossy paintings, with exaggerated caricatures and lively colors, complement DiCamillo’s tone, although the scowling, lantern-jawed visage of the crabby neighbor borders on the unpleasant. With vocabulary that may prove too challenging for a novice, DiCamillo’s tale is best suited for those ready to move up. However, the pacing and the action easily make it right for shared reading. (Fiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-7636-2270-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2005
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More by Kate DiCamillo
BOOK REVIEW
by Kate DiCamillo ; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
BOOK REVIEW
by Kate DiCamillo ; illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2022 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.