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Niemann, Christoph
6 Reviews
(3)
K-3
Each page in this inspired vocabulary primer ingeniously visualizes one (or occasionally two) of three-hundred-plus words: "never" sits under a simple digital drawing of a fish riding a bicycle, and so on. A few nouns ("dog," "book," "tree") get straightforward illustrations, but slightly older readers will enjoy interpreting the brainteasers, as when a drawing of chain link illustrates the word "and." Ind.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
After King Fritz learns about "a new wonder plant from South America," he gives his subjects a field of spuds; they're suspicious of his generosity. How can he awaken their interest in this foodstuff? Based on what's believed to be a true story about a resourceful eighteenth-century Prussian king, this unique-and-then-some book is predominantly illustrated with--what else?--potato-print art.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
PS
"How does a truck work?" To each of a girl's seven questions, a boy replies, "That's how!"; a corresponding illustration reveals his animal-centric fantasy explanation (e.g., a lion sits underneath the driver's seat and pedals). Still, the final word is hers. This is great stuff: funny, unpredictable, and imagination-spurring, with chunky, boldly colored art worthy of the boy's big ideas.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
A dad and two kids, stylized pictographs all, enjoy a day on the trains of New York City. While the rhyming text is dispensable, the gouache paintings on black backgrounds capture the mystery of the dark tunnels, the excitement of a ride, and the intriguingly complex labyrinth of the subway system, each line correctly color-coded.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
(4)
K-3
Lin is upset about losing her pet dragon. As the search progresses, readers learn how to write Chinese characters, which are then incorporated into the cleanly composed digital illustrations in crisp lines and vibrant colors. The mishmash of clichés (ping-pong playing, the Great Wall), some errors (girl with boy's hairstyle) in the imagery, and lack of a pronunciation guide are drawbacks.
Reviewer: Roxanne Hsu Feldman
(2)
PS
One industrious cumulus wants to be a police officer: "I want to wear a big blue hat and help people." Created in Adobe Illustrator, the geometric, pleasantly retro illustrations show the challenges he faces. When the cloud begins to cry, he finds his ideal vocation: firefighting! The final spread shows one happy cloud, proud to be wearing a big (red) hat.
Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2007
6 reviews
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