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40 pp.
| Abrams
| April, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-2316-2$17.95
(3)
K-3
Anna Merz, a conservationist working to save wildlife in Kenya, raised abandoned baby rhino Samia at her home. Samia behaved rather pet-like, but Anna also taught her skills for living in the wild when fully grown. Earth-toned pencil and Photoshop illustrations accentuate Samia's affection for Anna and effectively depict the setting of this warm story. An author's note explains more about the unlikely pair. Bib.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| March, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-1492-4$16.95
(3)
K-3
Animal friends debate the pros and cons of the changing seasons. Mouse and Bird are delighted with signs of spring, but Rabbit prefers snow and is slow to accept the change from winter. This cheery picture book with texture-rich, digitally colored pen-and-ink illustrations will help children think about how one season differs from the next and identify the hallmarks of winter and spring.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| September, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-1236-4$16.95
(3)
K-3
Monkey is angry with Dog for taking his ball and refusing to share. Kirk's sock-animal characters are drawn in pen-and-ink and combined with digital renderings of knitted fabrics, casting them as a child's toys engaged in a child's argument. The emotional arc--from petulant fury to contrition--is similarly well fashioned, and kids will no doubt recognize themselves in Monkey.
32 pp.
| Penguin/Paulsen
| November, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-399-16937-3$16.99
(4)
K-3
The pals from Ten Things I Love About You return. While Pig tries to finish a thank-you letter to Grandma, Rabbit pens one to his grandmother--and to the president, an author, his teacher, and many other deserving individuals. The flat mixed-media (including painted plywood) illustrations depicting cartoonish animals and Rabbit's short notes add humor to a well-worn message about politeness and friendship.
40 pp.
| Abrams
| September, 2013
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-0544-1$16.95
(4)
K-3
While the library undergoes renovations, mice Sam and Sarah, who have decamped to the attic, build their own cozy dwellings (yurt, igloo, geodesic dome, etc.) using library books for reference. The gouache illustrations, though stiff, clearly show each type of place. Information about the buildings is appended; it may be of more interest to budding architects than the stretch of a story line will be.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| March, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-0173-3$16.95
(4)
K-3
The Library Mouse and his sidekick venture to the museum next door and encounter an artist--a cat who'd rather draw mice than eat them. This didactic addition to the series features more nods to adult art aficionados (lots of mouse versions of famous paintings) than interest for children. Fans, though, may not mind, and Kirk's art is appealing, if stiff.
32 pp.
| Penguin/Paulsen
| December, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-399-25288-4$16.99
(4)
K-3
Rabbit announces that he is making a list of the things he loves about Pig. "Number 1--I love Pig because he is very pink." Thus begins the banter between friends. Font color aligns with characters' voices, making the book a good selection for two-person reading. The digitally enhanced ink-on-paper drawings and painted plywood are too static to hold viewer's interest.
485 pp.
| Abrams/Amulet
| May, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-8978-8$18.95
(4)
4-6
Matt and Becky return in the final installment of the Elf Realm trilogy. Matt and his companions seek a legendary elf city while Becky unwittingly assists evil Jardaine's scheme. The story line meanders among myriad characters, but the painstaking descriptions may continue to entertain fans as they make their way to the book's end.
32 pp.
| Hyperion
| August, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-2486-3$15.99
(3)
PS
Early one morning, a toy father and son take their jeep for a ride. They pick up some passengers on their way to seeing the sunrise on the mountaintop (really the bedroom window sill) as a real sleepy-eyed boy wakes to start his day. Bright, colorful oils and a cheerful verse peppered with the noisy titular refrain complete the toys-come-to-life-at-night fantasy.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| August, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-8968-9$16.95
(4)
K-3
In his third story, timid library mouse Sam meets Sarah. This female daredevil, also a library-dwelling rodent, scales bookshelves in pursuit of adventure. The story's ill-concealed message comes to light as the new friends learn that adventure can be found both inside and outside of a book. Some of the bold gouache pictures are stiff; others help boost excitement using varied perspectives.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| March, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-8927-6$15.95
(4)
K-3
In this message-y book, rodent author Sam (Library Mouse) continues his writing incognito. After a bashful library patron tracks Sam to his mouse hole, the two collaborate on a story, "The Shy One." Tension builds (mildly) as their secret may be revealed. Human characters look stiff in the close-up illustrations, which also reference famous children's books.
561 pp.
| Abrams/Amulet
| October, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-4075-8$18.95
(4)
4-6
In his second Elf Realm adventure, Matt joins with a troll and an elf to save the Cord. The action is slow to start, as the richly drawn cast of characters get their bearings. Kirk's high-fantasy world-building is full of inventive twists on mythology. The story also tackles issues of superstition and religious self-righteousness.
505 pp.
| Abrams/Amulet
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-7069-4$18.95
(4)
4-6
Matt gets a tiny diamond shoe stuck on his foot, becomes sick, and is visited by a herd of big-eyed elves (shown in unattractive black-and-white illustrations). Kirk's fantasy world is inspired, full of innovative concepts and ideas; the fact that they're all described in excruciating detail, in addition to his extended stretches of exposition, make the book too long.
40 pp.
| Hyperion
| October, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4231-0081-2$15.99
(4)
4-6
These eighteen poems focus on typical cat experiences such as a trip to the vet and a dirty litter box (though an audience for the line "I may be forced to void my bowels / on carpets, easy chairs, or towels..." is questionable). The illustrations are more effective in depicting humor than cuteness, which looks forced. A CD of the poems is included.
32 pp.
| Abrams
| September, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-9346-4$15.95
(4)
K-3
Library mouse Sam begins writing--and surreptitiously shelving--his own tales. When the librarian (who doesn't know he's a mouse) asks for an author visit, Sam remains concealed and invites children to write their own books. Kirk delivers an undisguised message about the value of writing. His human characters look stiff, but Sam is depicted with verve and humor.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| July, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-399-24178-7$$15.99
(4)
K-3
Gil, a classroom gecko on the loose, heads for the lunchroom. Familiar dramas unfold (mixed-up lunches, friendships on the rocks), as readers hunt for Gil on each page. The rhyming text, often in dialogue balloons, jumps from character to character, mimicking cafeteria chaos but creating a choppy and distracting read. The colorful illustrations are mildly engaging.
56 pp.
| Hyperion
| October, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-7868-1949-9$$18.99
(3)
K-3
Twenty-two exclamatory, rhyming poems feature dogs doing what they do best: playing with a slob-covered ball, begging for affection ("Pet me, pet me, pet me!"), scarfing chow, burying bones, etc. Up-close-and-personal illustrations of the pooches showcase the oversize book's singsongy, unabashedly enthusiastic verses. The poems are all sung cheerfully by Kirk on an accompanying CD.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| June, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-399-23553-1$$15.99
(4)
K-3
To fetch water from the well, Jack and Jill must first appease a giant crocodile who lives inside. For each offering (a ham and the family cow), they get a wish. The second wish breaks a curse that had transformed their long-lost father into the crocodile. Told in somewhat forced rhyme, Kirk's humorous retelling is original, as are the colorful, textured gouache and colored-pencil illustrations.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| July, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-399-23333-4$$15.99
(4)
K-3
When Tommy's hamster gets loose on the school bus, near-pandemonium ensues. Kirk's graphic illustrations highlight contemporary culture, both for kids (who play with Gameboys and sport key chain collections) and adults (cell phones pressed to every driver's ear). The rhyming text, almost entirely in dialogue balloons, mimics the frequent stop and go of a school bus. This is a mildly diverting ride.
48 pp.
| Hyperion
| September, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-7868-0305-3$$18.99
(4)
K-3
The CD that comes with this book of songs/poems about going places features Kirk, a pleasantly mellow tenor, singing old favorites ("I've Been Working on the Railroad") and his own works. Lack of rhythmic variety makes the twenty-three songs blend together, but readers can turn to the poems alone and the eclectic but unified multimedia illustrations for further inspiration.