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Bogacki, Tomek
6 Reviews
(1)
4-6
With simple, unadorned prose thoughtfully positioned within the soft acrylic illustrations that fill the pages, Bogacki describes the life of Korczak, a tireless advocate for children's rights. The book ends with Korczak's deportation to Treblinka with his orphans, and while the pictures are honest in depicting even this journey to the death camps, their gentleness inspires empathy rather than horror.
Reviewer: Monica Edinger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2010
(3)
K-3
When the traveling circus comes to town, a new girl joins the class for the week. Circus Girl, as she's known, brings a shy boy out of his shell and helps the narrator appreciate this classmate he'd previously ignored. The multiple panels of illustrations capture a surprising amount of the action, and the childlike perspective and first-person narrative lend the book familiarity and warmth.
Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli
(4)
K-3
A train ride triggers memories of childhood for the adult narrator, who then journeys back in his mind to his boyhood home, where, among other things, he planted a flower garden that brought his neighbors together. The gentle, soft-focus illustrations are soothing but indistinct, and the loosely connected reminiscences don't impart enough narrative direction to create much of an impact.
Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann
(3)
PS
Rounded and puffy, as if shaped from snow, a brown mouse and blue cat are befuddled when they find that the green meadow where they usually play has been replaced by endless white. The exuberance the pair and their siblings come to display toward the snow mirrors that of young children, who certainly understand about playing outside "until their coats were wet and their paws were cold."
Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann
(3)
K-3
Two playmates, a cat and a mouse, are scared when they find themselves spending the night outside for the first time. Helped by a friendly owl, however, they discover that night can be beautiful instead of scary. Bogacki's pleasing compositions match the simplicity of the text, and the chunky, textured shapes stand out well against the rich blues and greens of the night.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
PS
When a little blue bird wonders what's out in the world, his mama says, "Nothing." Although he is a little afraid, he decides to discover for himself what is really there. Instead of nothing, however, he finds a whole flock of birds and the world to explore. The quiet story is accompanied by inviting illustrations using muted colors and simple shapes.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
6 reviews
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