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(4)
4-6
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
Jonathan brings an injured squirrel to a wildlife rehabilitator who cares for "Mr. Wellington" until he can be returned to the wild. Mr. Wellington is sickly and sleeps a lot, and Jonathan tracks his progress via e-mails. The sympathetic narrative, told alternately from the squirrel's and Jonathan's points of view, lacks emotional punch. Squiggly black-and-white illustrations decorate most pages.
32 pp.
| Clarion
| October, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-618-15955-X$$15.00
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
A bittersweet tale about an old dog and dreams deferred, the book's strongest feature for children is its illustrations: attentive watercolor portraits of an abandoned old dog and the sad adults he brings some quiet happiness to. Recalling the gauzy wistfulness of Cynthia Rylant's stories, the book is both a lovely tale and a lovely object--but for grownups.
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
The fast-paced biographies in this series do a good job of revealing the personalities and significant achievements of their subjects. Plentiful black-and-white illustrations and simple prose make the books particularly appealing to reluctant readers, and the brief sidebars never overwhelm the main texts. Each volume has two timelines--one for the subject's life, the other listing concurrent world events. [Review covers these titles: Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Ben Franklin?, Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Annie Oakley?.]
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
The trio of collaborators presents the complex, reserved artist Jackson Pollock with few words and large watercolor and pen illustrations. What Pollock paints is shown minimally with a few strokes; the focus is the figure of the painter stretching his body across the canvas. Additional biographical information and extensive notes are appended. This is a book with the energy and expression to match its subject.
Reviewer: Lolly Robinson
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2002
48 pp.
| Clarion
| September, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-618-13347-X$$16.00
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
For readers too old for Shea's First Flight and too young for Freedman's The Wright Brothers, this text's simple sentences and familiar language, which trace the brothers' journey from inventive boys to aeronautical engineers, are appropriate for an early chapter book. Impressionistic scenes temper the matter-of-fact text by celebrating the majesty of flight. A timeline, source notes, and reading list are included. Ind.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2002
32 pp.
| Cavendish
| March, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-7614-5058-0$$15.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
Bierhorst retells a creation tale that is shared by a number of Native American groups on the West Coast. Coyote, the gopher brothers, and other animals from "a world before this one" create mountains, plants, rivers, and stars and plant the seeds that will become people to populate the earth. The spare watercolor illustrations complement this quietly appealing story.
40 pp.
| McElderry
| September, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-689-82812-8$$17.00
(2)
1-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
Henry can't test his new sled on Boston Common because British troops have camped there. He confronts General Thomas Gage, and a compromise is reached that reflects both colonial tenacity and English indulgence. The narrative is artfully written, and the illustrations' sketchy style conveys action and a sense of immediacy. An author's note attributes the story to "local folklore," but no specific source is named.
Reviewer: Mary M. Burns
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2000
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
A wandering bagpiper tugs a handsome pair of boots off a corpse only to find the feet still in them. Willie uses the feet to play a trick on an uncharitable farmer and sees the worm turn when a foot-loose--er, -less--man comes to reclaim his standing. The twists from ghoulish to slapstick to spooky step lightly, and Parker's paintings have a rustic elegance that helps the story keep its shape.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2000
320 pp.
| McElderry
| November, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-689-83987-1$$17.95
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
Hesse has taken the few and meager facts known about Nicholas Young, an eleven-year-old stowaway aboard Captain James Cook's ship Endeavour in the year 1768, and elaborated them into a full-blown novel. Her compelling storytelling and clever pacing command the reader's attention, even while reflecting the rhythms of the journey, which include doldrums as well as swift sailing.
(2)
K-3
In response to Thomas Jefferson's discouragement after the Continental Congress changed his draft of the Declaration of Independence, Ben Franklin tells his friend a story about a hatmaker. Based on an anecdote in 'The Papers of Thomas Jefferson', the story has a folktale-like quality that lends itself to being read aloud. The illustrations give dimension to the characters and a sense of times past.
138 pp.
| Scholastic
| November, 1998
|
TradeISBN 0-590-03382-4$$14.95
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Robert Andrew Parker.
Repeating third grade and frustrated over her inability to read, Juice Faulstich is chronically truant from school. Meanwhile, Pa is out of work, Ma is pregnant with a sixth child, and their rural house is facing foreclosure. Juice describes her steps toward maturity--which include returning to school--with a plainspoken immediacy that convincingly reflects both her age and circumstances.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1998
11 reviews
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