Review by Booklist Review
A hippopotamus named Ziggy and a racoon named Zak want to go to the Stomp City Show, but the train is late, the bus is full, the bike pops a tire, and when they finally arrive, the show is sold out! Ziggy is mad enough to stomp--until the Statue of Liberty gives him breathing instructions to find his Zen. Once calm, they follow a beat to Central Park, where they get to have a stomping party after all. This title is a terrific addition to Simon Spotlight's Ready-to-Read collection. The rhyming text is incredibly simple with strong front matter that supports children figuring out the sight words and word families they will encounter; yet there is still a cohesive, interesting, emotion-filled adventure within the simplistic language. The animal characters and backdrops are wobbly and humorously rendered in calm pastels, and the illustrations are chock full of delightful New York details, from a Broadway marquis and Central Park amphitheater to the donkey busking on the subway and the rats playing poker down by the third rail.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--An early reader that offers lessons in reading skills and emotion management. Ziggy, a hippo, and Zak, a raccoon, are excitedly traveling through New York City to see "The Stomp City Show." Transportation issues delay the duo, resulting in a frustrated and angry Ziggy. The Statue of Liberty comes to the rescue with the gentle reminder to breathe and count to 10, and a calmer Ziggy enjoys music in the park with his friends. The target audience of emergent readers is acknowledged from the first page, which includes a list of all the words in the story children can practice before diving in. The story continues with rhyming text in short sentences throughout and ends with comprehension questions on the last page. Although the breathing and counting techniques offered to the characters are not unique, their delivery by a historical monument is amusing and anchors the setting and illustrations. The latter, however, is somewhat of a hindrance reading due to the chaos of some scenes, and a disconnect between the simple story and detailed illustrations, such as when multiple angry characters are shown chasing Ziggy and Zak for no apparent reason. The rhyming text has bumps, as in, "The train is late/ we cannot wait/ Here comes a bus/ It has no room for us." Ultimately, the flimsy plot gives way to a mediocre reading experience. VERDICT The book supports developing skills but lacks the quality story to fully engage emergent readers.--Casey O'Leary
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Would missing the Stomp City Show make you want to stomp and shout? After their train is delayed, Zak the raccoon and Ziggy the hippo must race across a city reminiscent of New York to get to the show. But the bus is full, their bike gets a flat, and when they run, they have to detour for construction. When they do finally arrive, their worst fears come true: The show is sold out. Ziggy rages and stomps, and the Statue of Liberty intervenes, encouraging Ziggy not to stomp or shout but to breathe in, breathe out, and slowly count to 10 again and again. The now calm Zak and Ziggy hear music and follow the sound to a happy party in the park. The book ends with the news that the Stomp City Show will return next week. The book opens with lists of names, word families, sight words, and bonus words, which will help new readers enjoy the story, but many words in the signs found in the illustrations (city, delay, park, next, week, and news) that are critical to the story are omitted from these lists. Humorous, detailed illustrations and text that relies on short rhyming sentences, questions, and exclamations create a fun, fast-paced romp. The book ends with several reading comprehension questions. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Proof that good things happen when you breathe, slowly count to 10, and stomp for fun instead of frustration. (Early reader. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
