Review by New York Times Review
A duckling begins this sweet, profound book on the verge of that astonishing moment when groups of letters transform from gobbledygook to words. Finding a book without pictures, he scoffs. But the white pages explode with beautiful images: Now he can read, and it carries him away, then back home. Ruzzier pays a sneaky tribute to the power of words and pictures to work together - and apart. The brilliant endpapers are gibberish at the front, then the plot of the story at the back. SURF'S UP By Kwame Alexander. Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. 30 pp. NorthSouth. $17.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) The Newbery winner Alexander ("The Crossover") and the enchanting, versatile Miyares ("Float") playfully topple the "reluctant reader" idea. "You'd rather read a book than go to the beach?" a green frog with a surfboard says to an orange one buried in a book. Well, why choose? The book - about "a man looking for a whale," hint, hint - comes along on their scooter. The orange frog throws out tidbits of the story, and his friend gets hooked too: He dives in while the other catches a wave. WANTED! RALFY RABBIT, BOOK BURGLAR Written and illustrated by Emily Mackenzie. 32 pp. Bloomsbury. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Where have you gone, Peter Rabbit? This bunny is heavily into books - so much so that he starts sneaking into people's bedrooms and making off with the goods. He meets his match in a book-loving boy named Arthur, who sets a trap and catches Ralfy in the act. He gets away, but he's busted by Officer Puddle, who asks Arthur to identify him in a bunny lineup. The silliness is infectious, with Mackenzie's adorable, up-to-date art paying not a lick of homage to Beatrix Potter. A BIG SURPRISE FOR LITTLE CARD By Charise Mericle Harper. Illustrated by Anna Raff. 40 pp. Candlewick. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Not much in life holds the mystique of a child's first library card, and this book celebrates that lovely milestone. In Harper's clever story, Little Card, a cute sneaker-clad fellow with expressive eyebrows, is all set to be a birthday greeting, until he's sent instead to become the library card of a girl named Alex. Of course, they "liked each other instantly." He adjusts to the quiet, and as the library's wonders are revealed, it becomes clear that even if it's not a birthday party, the place has something to offer every day. MOM, DAD, OUR BOOKS, AND ME By Danielle Marcotte. Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. 32 pp. Owlkids. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Gorgeous and sophisticated, this book doesn't just preach about the importance of reading - it shows a world in which reading is all around, woven into life in many interesting ways. A fisherman "reads the sky"; a doctor "reads a thermometer." And the little boy who narrates, a proud new reader, revels in his new solidarity with his parents, relatives and neighbors, who like to be immersed in words. Bisaillon's art strikes just the right readerly tone, somehow both moody and cheerful. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [June 3, 2016]
Review by Horn Book Review
Ralfy Rabbit is so obsessed with books that he starts stealing them from people's homes; his big mistake is pilfering from human child Arthur, a fellow bibliophile. This high-octane story is replete with wordplay (Ralfy is caught "read-handed"; his favorite books include Warren Peas) and visual humor, such as the police station's "con-veggie-belt" (conveyor belt), which leads to Ralfy's unmasking. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Can someone love reading too much? This is the story of how one book lover gets himself into a pickle through his passion for books.While other rabbits are doing the normal things rabbits do, Ralfy Rabbit's appetite for books leads him to a life of crime. He loves books so much that he sneaks into his neighbors' houses to read them, stealing his favorites along the way. When young, white, redheaded Arthur, another bibliophile, notices that his most beloved books have started disappearing from his shelves, Ralfy's pilfering days are numbered. Arthur wants to stop the book burglar. This rascally rabbit is caught "read-handed" when his next victim is, unfortunately for him, Officer Puddle. The police lineup to identify the culprit is hilarious. Ralfy's punishment fits the crime, and justice is served with compassion. MacKenzie combines story and illustration with brightness, action, and intrigue, keeping the pace moving while endearing this fluffy burglar to readers. Much of the illustrative humor is geared toward older bookworms, with famous titles adapted to long-eared persuasions: Warren Peas, for example, and The Rabbit with the Dandelion Tattoo, ensuring that adults will stay as engaged as little listeners will. This will be a raving favorite for fans of books about books as well as older readers who can appreciate the library humor. (Picture book. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
