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Costello, David
4 Reviews
(2)
PS
Little Pig's (Little Pig Joins the Band) older siblings are going to sailing camp; he reluctantly stays behind, learning to tie knots. His grandfathers bring him a toy boat, which keeps him entertained all week. Friendly watercolors capture the hustle-and-bustle of a large family, Little Pig's initial loneliness, and summer days spent knee-deep in a (beautifully evoked) pooled-up stream. A profusion of speech bubbles adds drama, immediacy, and humor.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2017
(2)
PS
Little Pig, too small to play an instrument, watches his siblings have all the fun with Grandpa's marching band equipment. However, physical stature doesn't stop him from thinking big. Sprightly ink and watercolor illustrations match the upbeat text's tempo and include comic asides to help advance the narrative. Readers will likely recognize Little Pig's predicament and give his take-charge solution a hand.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2011
(2)
PS
A little yellow duckling wanders off: "Uh-oh. I'm lost." No worries; Monkey is nearby: "I can help." This small drama sets up a comforting pattern as successive animal friends assist one another. The concept of helping is right on target for the always-eager-to-lend-a-hand audience. Costello's animated art tells a lot of the story, and there's enough tension to keep things lively.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2010
(4)
K-3
An inventive array of mildly eccentric monsters enjoy a Halloween feast while awaiting the arrival of "the scariest creatures of all." The rhyming text goes on too long and the twist is predictable (the scariest creatures are trick-or-treating children), but the line-and-watercolor paintings display a fresh sensibility and an evocatively autumnal tone.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
4 reviews
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