Review - Pinky's Fair Day

Pinky's Fair Day
by Valeri Gorbachev
Date: 2019
Publisher: Star Bright Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Whimsical illustrations in bright watercolors are sure to delight readers as they learn about the intrinsic rewards of helping others.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

If this book had actually been about "the intrinsic rewards of helping others", I might've liked it more than I did. As it is, this is simply a book about a narcissistic little pig who only helps others because it benefits him.

Pinky (a pig... and the only character in the book with a name that isn't just a descriptor of his species) finds out from the Hedgehog brothers that they were complimented for being good helpers. He wants someone to tell him he's a good helper, too, so he goes around to his neighbours and tries to help. But each time, he just makes a mess of things, and when he's told he's not a good helper, he just says, "I tried my best." Then he meets up with Cat and Dog, who are obviously bad news. When they try to carjack the puppet wagon, Pinky squeals, and Cat and Dog run away. Then he's told he's a good helper.

I thought maybe there would be more after that, something that would show Pinky that helping just for the sake of helping is a good thing. But what does he do next? He runs off to brag to the Hedgehog brothers that someone called him a good helper.

The illustrations almost remind me of something you'd find in a 1960s picture book. They're passable, but not special. Combined with the unsophisticated story and annoying main character, they're not quite enough to make this book a winner.

This story just seems to teach kids to expect accolades for everything. Never mind kindness or doing something because it needs to be done. Apparently, the only reason to help others is so they'll stroke your ego. I'm sorry, but that's just not the type of message I want to see in children's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Star Bright Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Dinosaurs Count

Dinosaurs Count
by S. J. Bushue
illustrated by Cassie Allen
Date: 2019
Publisher: Star Bright Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 19
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Dinosaurs Count is a fun-filled numerical journey to the prehistoric land of dinosaurs. Together, young readers and baby dinosaurs learn to count 1-10 using tails, claws, wings, toes, and other body parts. Each scene depicts a cuddly creature paired with its name and pronunciation. The color palettes of the numerals and respective body parts match to help children easily identify and recognize them. The text also features exciting facts about each dinosaur and an illustrated size chart.

Cassie Allen’s illustrations gently introduce children to a range of dinosaur species, from recognizable favorites (Tyrannosaurus Rex) to recently discovered anomalies (Changyuraptor). Each creature is shy, inquisitive, and eager to explore its surroundings—much like the young explorers who will delightfully read this book.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute counting book featuring baby dinosaurs. Each spread features a picture of a newly hatched beast, their name, and a number that corresponds to something about the dinosaur (feathers, claws, wings, etc.).

The back of the book has information about each dinosaur, along with a comparative size chart. That part of the book may be a little beyond the audience (it's a book for teaching numbers, after all), but it's still interesting.

Phonetic pronunciations are included for all the dinosaur species (thank goodness!) but I'm completely baffled by the one for the velociraptor. How do you pronounce it? For me, it's ve-LOSS-i-rap-tor. In this book? It's VELL-os-EE-rap-TOR. I don't know where that even came from, but I'm pretty sure it's incorrect.

Aside from that, though, this is a cute little book. Kids who love dinosaurs will probably enjoy this one (even if they just want to skip to the end and read the little blurbs).

Thank you to NetGalley and Star Bright Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - An ABC of Equality

An ABC of Equality
by Chana Ginelle Ewing
illustrated by Paulina Morgan
Date: 2019
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 52
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A is for Ability, B is for Belief, C is for Class. All people have the right to be treated fairly, no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from. An ABC of Equality introduces complicated concepts surrounding social justice to the youngest of children.

From A to Z, simple explanations accompanied by engaging artwork teach children about the world we live in and how to navigate our way through it. Each right-hand page includes a brightly decorated letter with the word it stands for and an encouraging slogan. On the left, a colorful illustration and bite-size text sum up the concept. Cheerful people from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and abilities lead the way through the alphabet.

L is for LGBTQIA. Find the words that make you, you.
N is for No. No means no.
P is for Privilege. Be aware of your advantages.
X is for Xenophobia. Ask questions and you’ll see there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Celebrate your Differences, ask more Questions, share your Kindness, and learn to Understand the world.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sometimes the best intentions can go horribly awry. That's the case here, with An ABC of Equality. Intended for "the youngest of children", this is a confusing book that offers muddled definitions and paints an unrealistic vision of the world.

Starting early on, the book makes many demonstrably false statements such as:

People who identify as women have the same rights as people who identify as men.

It goes on to become even more confusing:

We're all human beings because of abilities like standing, talking, laughing, and pointing your finger.

Sorry, non-verbal kids in wheelchairs who were born without hands. You're not human. Or... are you?

Even if we have different abilities, we're all human beings.

Things don't get any clearer going forward. Many of the definitions for the words seem to be rather utopian. They're the way things should be, not how they actually are. I mean, I'm not asking for a depressing alphabet book, but this just doesn't seem to reflect the reality of our world at all. I'm tempted to think that the whole book was written from a place of privilege. It's entirely possible, given the author's somewhat strange definition of "privilege":

Privilege is when a human being receives benefits and advantages based on a category like gender or class or an ability like seeing and hearing.

Gender or class? Yes, of course gender and class come into play with privilege. But seeing and hearing? Privilege is usually talked about as something that's enjoyed by a smaller group of people. In painstakingly avoiding the words "disability" and "disabled" (they don't appear anywhere in the book), the author seems to be trying to redefine "privilege" when what she really means is "advantage".

The problems don't end there. Some definitions are really vague and/or confusing (A value is an expression of how to live a belief.) or don't make sense at all (A question is the opposite of a belief.). And then we get to S and T. S is for "sex". Unfortunately, "sex" gets conflated with "gender". And T is for "transgender". But then the book implies that non-binary people are transgender. Confused yet?

The icing on the cake is Z, which tries to introduce the gender-neutral pronoun "ze". To toddlers. You know, the kids who still construct sentences like, "Me want cookie." For good measure, "zir" is thrown in there, too, without any explanation.

I would never try to read this to a toddler. Older kids would probably get more out of it, but the age group who might be able to decipher the mangled word definitions would likely think this is a book for babies and avoid it. So I really don't know who this book is going to work for. As an adult, I was annoyed by all the questionable definitions and awkward phrasing. I can only imagine that children would be hopelessly confused. The intention here is good... but perhaps trying to teach these social-justice concepts to toddlers was a little too ambitious.

Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 1/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1.33 out of 5

Review - Bad Kitty Takes the Test

Bad Kitty Takes the Test (Bad Kitty)
by Nick Bruel
Date: 2019
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 160
Format: e-book
Source: library

It's something everyone has to do at least once. Kitty is no different. In this new edition of the beloved, bestselling Bad Kitty series, Bad Kitty faces... a test!

Based on her previous bad behavior, the Society of Cat Aptitude has determined that Kitty is not only a bad kitty but a bad cat. In order to redeem her feline status, Kitty must take an aptitude test to determine if she deserves to be a cat. If she fails, she will no longer be able to be a cat. With the help of Chatty Kitty, who is the instructor at Cat School, and Uncle Murray, who thinks he's just there to renew his driver's license, Kitty learns all about being a cat and a little about herself.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I was under the impression that the Bad Kitty books were all picture books. But this is more of a graphic novel for kids. I know this character and series are popular, but after reading this particular installment, I can't really see why. For one thing, Kitty barely features in the middle part of the book! That's taken up with a rather ridiculous plot about chickens trying to achieve world domination through #2 pencils. The story tries way too hard to be funny, and while it might tickle the funny bone of a child, it's not going to have much appeal for older readers.

Basically, Kitty fails at being a cat and needs to take a test to get her cat license back. So she goes to a class to prepare for the test. The test administrator turns out to be a chicken, and he demands that everyone in the class lay an egg in order to pass. Kitty must resort to cheating if she wants to remain a cat.

There's a rather confusing message about cheating here, as Kitty really had no choice (because the test itself was dishonest). The ambiguity might be okay in a book for adults, but I don't know what kids are supposed to take from this part of the plot.

The illustrations are amusing, but not all that interesting. I could take them or leave them.

I think I need to find the original Bad Kitty picture book. This graphic novel doesn't appear to be a very good representative of the rest of the series.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Pace: 2/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall Rating: 2.38 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Meet the Group of Seven

Meet the Group of Seven
by David Wistow & Kelly McKinley
Date: 1999
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

In the early twentieth century, a group of Toronto artists became friends. They shared a love of traveling and exploring Canada's landscape. Their paintings were very different from the art of the time, capturing not just how the landscape looked, but how it made the artists feel as well. In 1920, they exhibited their work together for the first time, calling themselves the Group of Seven. While some people were excited by their use of bright colors and rough brushstrokes, others were horrified by their strange styles. It took years for appreciation of their work to grow. But today, the Group of Seven are some of Canada's best-loved artists.

Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Group of Seven's first exhibition, here's a reissue of a must-have reference, produced in collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario. Filled with illustrations, photographs and stunning reproductions of more than forty masterpieces, the book describes how the group formed, how and where they painted, their influence on Canadian art and more. It offers a perfect introduction to critical thinking about visual arts and biographies of artists. It's also an excellent social studies resource on Canadian heritage and history.

Original Group of Seven artists: Franklin Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A. Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J. E. H. MacDonald and Frederick H. Varley.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I thought this looked like an interesting non-fiction picture book. Unfortunately, I found it to be an utter bore. It reads very "young", and yet I don't know how many children in that age group are going to find this book of dry facts and art criticism very entertaining.

By far, the most interesting parts of this book are the bit about Tom Thomson's untimely death and the theories surrounding it (ironic, since he wasn't even an official member of the Group) and the brief examples of other non-Group art that was being done at the time as well as after. Aside from the short bios of the men, most of the rest of the book is taken up by reproductions of their work and--most annoyingly--explanations of what the paintings mean. Unfortunately, these interpretations are undermined by the section that talks about how everyone interprets art differently. (This is part of why the book seems "young" to me. There's almost a hand-holding aspect throughout much of it, where the authors have to tell the reader what the paintings mean. Why bother, if everything's open to interpretation?)

I think part of the problem is that I don't really like most of the Group's work. When I mentioned to my mom that I was reading this book, she told me that I'd been to see a Group of Seven exhibit. (She was partly joking. I was an infant at the time, so I obviously don't remember it!) She also said she wasn't that impressed with the paintings, and that she preferred Emily Carr's work instead. Carr is mentioned in this book, as she was acquainted with some of the Group, and her art is in the same sort of vein. But I must admit, I'm of the same opinion as my mom; Carr's work is much more pleasing to the eye, and I think I would've rather read a book about her.

Unless someone really loves the aesthetic of the Group of Seven, they're probably going to have a hard time engaging with this book. It's dry, pedantic, and a little condescending. The layout and look of the book are fine... but if you're not all that interested in the subject matter, none of that's going to make much of a difference.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Spot & Dot

Spot & Dot (Spot the Cat #2)
by Henry Cole
Date: 2019
Publisher: Little Simon
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

From beloved author-illustrator Henry Cole comes the stunning follow-up to Spot, the Cat. In this beautiful wordless picture book, Spot the cat finds a dog named Dot who’s off on her own adventure through the city!

In Henry Cole’s vivid wordless picture book Spot, the Cat, readers joined Spot on a journey through a city that began with him following a bird outside his window.

This time, a dog named Dot draws Spot from his window. As we follow Spot and Dot on their wordless journey, we quickly realize that it’s Dot the dog who is missing this time, and Spot is trying to get her back home. We follow these two on a different journey through the city as they weave in and out of a bakery, a library, a busy park, and more. And with a surprise twist at the end, we realize that “home” for both cat and dog was never very far away.

With detailed black-and-white illustrations, readers will love following Spot and Dot on their adventure and cheering for the sweet reunion at the end.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This wordless picture book almost has a Where's Waldo? vibe to it. The detailed black-and-white illustrations have so much to look at, besides the dog and cat who are running through each picture. While the story is fairly basic, the book is fun to peruse. Can you pick out Spot and Dot as they make their way through the city?

I don't know what else I can say about this one. For a wordless picture book, it's done fairly well. If you like seek-and-find illustrations, you might like this book, too. Now I'm kind of curious about the first book in the series...

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: n/a
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5

Review - My Tiny Pet

My Tiny Pet
by Jessie Hartland
Date: 2019
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A witty celebration of the tiny tardigrade, a microscopic creature that looks like a bear

Living in a tiny house has one huge drawback--no space for pets. So when a little girl's parents announce that it's time for the family to simplify, downsizing from a huge home in the city to a tiny house in the woods, it's quite a blow--after all, she's grown quite fond of her pet poodles, cats, tarantula, snake, hedgehogs, mice, birds, fish, octopus, rabbits, pony, pig, and turtles. Fortunately, she finds them all good homes, and she has to admit that she enjoys her new simpler life.

There's just one thing: She still really wants just one pet.

At first the answer is no. But using a little scientific savvy, she finds one that could be just the right fit--how could anyone turn down a pet smaller than an ant's eye that doesn't need special food or toys or walking, and will always be small enough to squeeze into their home, no matter how much they downsize?

Jessie Hartland creatively blends fantasy and science in a far-out story that bursts with exuberance. Her whimsical art celebrates one very thoughtful, persistent little girl and introduces readers to the tiny tardigrade, with its fascinating array of survival skills.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The concept of this book is sort of cute. Who ever considered a tardigrade as a pet? Kids will learn quite a bit about these nifty little creatures... as long as they can stomach the sight of them (this might be an issue for more sensitive readers).

In this story, a child with lots of pets is forced to give them all up when her parents decide to downsize. Living in a tiny house is okay... but the girl still really wants a pet. Her parents, however, don't budge... until she brings up the idea of the microscopic tardigrade, or "water bear". It's the perfect pet for a tiny house. Actually, it's the perfect pet if you want something you can take anywhere, since it's so small. (The only downside is that you need a microscope if you want to actually be able to look at your pet.)

While I like the overall premise and the child's clever decision to get a tardigrade for a pet, I do not like the parents' actions in this one. After moving to a tiny house at the beginning of the book, forcing the child to give up all of her more traditional pets, the pair decide that their tiny house (with just one room and a sleeping loft) isn't nearly small enough, so they decide to move into a treehouse in the forest. The kid doesn't really care because she can keep her tardigrade, but at what point does this obsession with tiny spaces start to look like child neglect? What happens when she's a teenager? Is she going to be okay sleeping squished between her parents on a cot that folds out from the wall? (The fact that these people downsized by choice and not out of necessity just makes them come across like pretentious rich folk who are trying to virtue signal by living like they're on the border of homelessness. It's rather distasteful. Tiny houses are fine, but I don't like seeing people forcing their children to live in cramped spaces--and taking away their animal companions--when they don't actually need to.)

So this one was just okay for me. I like the concept of the tardigrade as a practical pet that can fit in any living space, no matter how small... but I don't like the reason the girl had to resort to a pet like that in the first place.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.83 out of 5