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
Breen, Steve
6 Reviews
(3)
K-3
Rhinoceros Henry follows instructions to stay clean on school picture day, but he makes a huge mess of everyone else. The straightforward text and humorous illustrations in ink, pencil, and watercolor of Henry and his anthropomorphic classmates add up to an amusing story in which, reassuringly, everything ultimately turns out all right, messy or not.
Reviewer: Kari Allen
(3)
K-3
Tempted by "the best tummy-rumbling smell," Benny the woodpecker develops scheme after scheme to sneak into Moe's diner to taste a waffle. Clever, Looney Tunes–esque slapstick--chock-full of kid-appeal--ensues as an onslaught of naysaying animals are duped into being part of Benny's final, successful plan. Ink-outlined watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations effectively unite woodland softness with cartoon sensibilities.
Reviewer: Rebecca Fox
(4)
K-3
Dog Doug becomes convinced that his best friend, Pug, has outgrown him, but every perceived slight has an explanation (e.g., Pug had meant to write "I'M REALLY SICK OF OLD DOUGHNUTS," but got distracted after "...OLD DOUG"). The misunderstanding is fairly ineffective--a truly suspenseful impasse would have been more interesting--but Breen plants great gags in the charming cartoon illustrations.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(4)
K-3
When Sam McGuffin hitches a ride in Santa's sleigh, he arrives not at the North Pole, but at Santa and his helpers' vacation island. There pajama-clad Sam first thanks a forgiving Mr. Claus for past gifts, then enjoys amusement park rides, beach time, and other R&R activities. The playful fantasy ends on a didactic note, but the lighthearted illustrations suit the mostly upbeat mood.
Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian
(4)
K-3
Violet, ostracized for creating flying machines instead of being girly, hopes to earn respect by winning an air show. She misses the show when, en route, she rescues some boy scouts--which carries its own rewards. There's a message-y, plot-by-numbers aspect to the story for which the mixed-media illustrations, spotlighting Violet's inventions (the Bicycopter, the Pogo Plane), partly compensate.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(4)
K-3
Adventurous frog Stick's long, sticky tongue inadvertently adheres to a large dragonfly and so begins his haphazard aerial tour around the New Orleans coastal environs. Humorous watercolor, acrylic, and pencil illustrations arranged in paneled segments and double-page spreads work together to depict the little frog's slight but amusing story.
Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty
6 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.