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40 pp.
| Holiday/Porter
| October, 2020
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-4699-5$18.99
(2)
K-3
This timely and striking story of a forest wildfire is told from the point of view of a deer, who speaks for all the forest creatures. In lush, earth-toned gouache illustrations, we see creatures in their forest home. "We have always lived in this forest," the deer states. "I used to think this forest would always be our home." But one day a spark flies across dry trees; smoke appears; and flames grow. The sky grows dark, and in an alarming and unflinching spread, a small flame lands on the head of Mountain Lion. The animals, now merely red-hot silhouettes against a wall of flames, flee. Marino's driving text is filled with descriptive verbs--the fire snaps and swallows--and her taut sentences pack a punch: "The smoke was strong. But we were stronger." All the animals eventually return and see new shoots of green in the blackened forest, the powerful final line echoing the book's title. A closing note from Marino describes her own experience in the 2017 Northern California wildfires, seeing embers "the size of dinner plates." The appended "wildfire facts" answer questions for young readers about how wildfires start and spread and how wildlife responds. Lists for further reading and for learning more about wildfires are also appended.
Reviewer: Julie Danielson
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021
(3)
K-3
A young girl fantasizes about life with a horse--taming him, exploring with him, befriending other horses, being fearless. Saturated illustrations in purple, blue, green, and orange capture girl and horse in flowing silhouette, conveying their distinctive movements, while background details emerge through tints in the wash. The girl's confident self-talk will hearten readers facing challenges or learning to dream big.
40 pp.
| Viking
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-451-46957-1$17.99
(3)
K-3
A boy returns from school to find his pet fish missing from its bowl. To avoid telling him that it died, Mom sneaks a look-alike into the bowl. The boy isn't falling for it: "MOM! Splotch has been CHANGED BY ALIENS!!" The game of who's-outsmarting-whom plays out with minimal text; the well-observed gouache and pencil illustrations carry the unpredictable tale.
(3)
K-3
"There was never a ball the boy wouldn't throw...or one his dog couldn't catch." But when the ball is a balloon, the dog runs away to catch it and loses sight of his boy. The wind shifts; the balloon goes the other way, and dog and boy are reunited. This satisfying story is accompanied by naive full-bleed pictures that depict a rural paradise.
40 pp.
| Viking
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-0-451-46955-7$16.99
(3)
K-3
Over the course of four individual stories, an irascible white mouse leads three other mice into dangerous though exciting situations of predator vs. prey. The leader's cheerful, unworried obstinacy fits well with the book's episodic nature; he never learns from past mistakes. Skillfully illustrated in gouache and pencil and told in comics format, the droll characters communicate through speech bubbles and delightfully depicted expressions.
40 pp.
| Viking
| July, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-451-46954-0$16.99
(3)
K-3
Possum, hiding, is joined by a succession of nocturnal animals, each fleeing the next. When Bat asks what everyone is scared of, the group responds, "night animals," whereupon the bat dispenses some much-needed information. Illustrations use the black backgrounds and bold animal silhouettes to impart maximum drama and humor, particularly in the narrative payoff involving campers. Animal fact sheets hide inside the dust jacket.
40 pp.
| Viking
| April, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-01315-9$16.99
(4)
K-3
Whale Little Blue is awaiting the whale song that Papa tells him signifies the start of their migration. After they begin swimming, Little Blue gets separated from his dad but remembers Papa's admonition to listen for his song, and they're ultimately reunited. It's a somewhat facile story; the real draw is the painterly mixed-media illustrations in a deep oceanic palette.
32 pp.
| Viking
| March, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-01313-5$16.99
(3)
PS
During a drought, a mother elephant must leave her young calf to "climb the highest mountain to ask the skies for rain." Little One naturally resists the separation, while Mama offers reassuring advice. A familiar tale is made unique through its African setting, warm mixed-media illustrations, and lyrical text that highlights the tender relationship between mother and child.
32 pp.
| Viking
| September, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-670-01314-2$16.99
(3)
K-3
In this modern fable, Rabbit and Owl live peacefully in two small houses atop a hill. Then Rabbit's garden interferes with Owl's view, and their one-upmanship begins. Both build taller and taller houses until, at last, the outrageous structures come tumbling down. Detailed gouache and pencil illustrations capture the homey environs, fantastic houses, and the modest home the friends ultimately build--together.
40 pp.
| Chronicle
| May, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8118-6908-9$16.99
(4)
PS
In this nearly wordless book, a flea hops from animal to animal, inviting readers to count critters in each of a dozen-plus barnyard scenes. The counting scheme is somewhat confusing--the flea's bounce on the numeral in the upper-right corner is apparently the starting point--but the painterly illustrations and punch line (a skunk finally clears the farmyard) will engage preschoolers.