Thank you for visiting.
This content is exclusive to subscribers only.
As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
Log In
Don't have a Horn Book Account?
Register Now
Register Now
Blake, Robert J.
7 Reviews
(4)
K-3
Two performing dogs embark on an adventure through the streets and sewers of Paris as they chase after their master's lost accordion. Blake's oil-on-canvas paintings bring the city to life, but the story, though mostly engaging, is occasionally hard to follow. Still, dog-loving children will delight in the canine antics.
Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello
(3)
K-3
Painter and Ugly, two sled dogs that are separated at the story's beginning, find each other on the Junior Iditarod Trail. The dogs seem to jump right out of the accomplished oil paintings, and the fast-paced text will keep readers' hearts racing as the dogs listen to their own instincts to be reunited.
Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt
(3)
K-3
When their mum gets caught in a trap, her Tasmanian devil cubs Big Stanley, Burnie, and Winnie rise to the occasion. Soft-edged oil paintings in muted hues extend the story nicely, and the Australian terminology (e.g., "footy ball") adds an element of interest. Though somewhat anthropomorphized in terms of facial expressions, the animals' habits and appearances are generally realistic.
Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian
(2)
K-3
In this breathless adventure, it's boy and dog against the wild. When a bear hunt goes awry, it's up to Johnnie and his dog Swift to make their way across the Alaskan landscape to fetch help for Johnnie's stricken father. The declarative first-person text is a suitably rough-hewn complement to the illustrations, thick oils on canvas that fairly ooze masculinity.
Reviewer: Vicky Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2007
(4)
K-3
A stray cat lives near the carousel at a seaside amusement park. After the park goes out of business, the cat saves her kittens from a fire next door by moving them into the carousel. In spite of a bright palette, this story about death and rebirth fails to capture the drama of the rescue.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
This is a fictionalized account of a 1925 diphtheria serum run from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The story focuses on Togo, the lead sled dog on one of the teams. It's due to Togo's determination and strength that his team logs the most miles in the grueling relay and ensures the delivery of the life-saving serum. The dramatic telling is enhanced by the textured oil paintings, which depict a realistic frozen landscape.
Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen
(2)
K-3
"Today is the day we are all going to fly," announces the kestrel perched high on a New York City roof. The fledgling then launches herself into an eventful flight that will include darting into the subway to elude a hawk. The minimal text reveals her perceptions and motives, but Blake's superb art really tells the story, and his manipulation of perspective and composition to simulate the kestrel's point of view is masterful.
Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2001
7 reviews
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.