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Rankin, Laura
5 Reviews
(3)
PS
Lamb Pammy and goat Wyatt are constant playmates--until Wyatt, sick of Pammy's tyrannizing, storms off; in an inspired move for a kids' "feelings" book, Rankin makes the offender, not the injured party, the narrator (Pammy: "I don't know what happened. I thought we were having fun"). The plucky story is enhanced by the art, which captures children's ramshackle playtime sprawl.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
"No school, no homework, no practices--just a fun, don't-have-to-go-anywhere day with Momma and Papa!" Fox Ruthie's "Big Plans" for Saturday--blueberry pancakes, cartoons, planting, and baking--fall apart when unexpected obligations interfere. Pencil and watercolor vignettes capture Ruthie's relatable frustration and eventual elation when a flat tire prevents a dreaded excursion (and facilitates cookie-baking).
Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty
(3)
K-3
Little fox Ruthie, who loves teeny tiny things, is delighted to find a miniature camera at school. When another student claims it's his, Ruthie does the same, giving rise to the terrible feelings a lie can start. Gentle-hued acrylics that play up the story's coziness nicely balance the dread of having to face up to one's mistakes.
Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden
(4)
K-3
A trip around Swan Harbor ("similar to so many places along the coast of Maine") proceeds through the seasons from spring to winter. Counting resident wildlife, from one robin to twenty swans, the expressive paintings will have appeal to older readers but are a bit too detailed for the counting-book audience. A key at book's end provides information expanding on the pictures.
Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo
(2)
PS
Highly realistic illustrations in vibrant colored pencil on charcoal paper provide instruction on signing the numbers one through twenty (plus twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five, and one hundred). Easily recognizable objects accumulate on the pages and are identified in the back of the book. A valuable and attractive contribution to the literature that introduces American Sign Language.
Reviewer: Ellen Fader
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1998
5 reviews
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