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Spohn, Kate
13 Reviews
(4)
K-3
Mouse Lucy and her friends and family take up residence in the home of two artist sisters (modeled on Dorothy Lathrop, first recipient of the Caldecott Medal, and her sculptor sister, Gertrude) who, after some resistance, come to accept them. The change of heart seems abrupt, but the premise is amusing. The mice are whimsically rendered with simple lines against vibrantly hued backdrops.
Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin
(4)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
"Turtle and Snake ride the waves. / Oh no, Snake. Watch out! / Wipeout!" This is another episode in the lives of Turtle and Snake with very simple text for beginning readers and bright images of a trip to the local beach. While the language is a bit flat, the paintings will inspire discussion of the readers' own excursions.
Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt
(3)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
To surprise Snake on Valentine's Day, Turtle makes a card and buys Snake's favorite treats. But Snake is secretly watching his friend's preparations, and in the end Turtle's the one who's surprised--by Snake's Valentine's Day party. Readers can enjoy spotting Snake in the simple illustrations for this genial, accessible story, the seventh in a series. Instructions for making a Valentine are included.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(4)
PS
A boy likes inside things: reading, fires in the fireplace, pajamas. A girl likes rainy-day things: turtles, guppies, and "the gurgle, gurgle / of a river / running down." While the book is more about inside and outside, the wet/dry concept is reinforced by the alternating finishes of the double-page spreads: matte for dry and glossy for wet. The child-friendly illustrations are a good match for the occasionally faltering rhyming text.
(3)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
In the fifth book in this series, Turtle and Snake plan a Halloween party. Readers can follow along in the simple text as the two friends check items off their to-do list. The illustrations include details useful for beginners and humorous touches abound, such as a view of skinny Snake and round Turtle in their look-alike pumpkin costumes. An easy recipe is included.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
Patient Snake good-naturedly puts up with Turtle's clumsy attempts to fix things around Snake's house. Using his hammer, Turtle makes a left-tilting shelf tilt right; he saws the legs off of an uneven chair; and unhinges a hard-to-open door. Turtle's comical attempts are pictured in bright, childlike illustrations, which include visual clues to help new readers decipher the text.
Reviewer: Susan Halperin
(3)
K-3
Turtle and Snake can't decide which Christmas tree to buy; Turtle prefers short and wide, while Snake goes for tall and thin. Returning home treeless, the two friends discover the best tree of all growing right behind their houses. Spohn tells a humorous story with few words, and her childlike illustrations provide very early readers with helpful clues as well as visual jokes.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
In an entertaining story for the youngest readers, Turtle and Snake buy supplies, fill their backpacks, and hike to their campsites. But at night, frightened by an owl, they hurriedly retrace their steps back home (Ã la "We're Going on a Bear Hunt"). To accompany her minimalist text, Spohn provides childlike illustrations with humorous touches, such as the snake- and turtle-shaped sleeping bags.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(3)
K-3
Viking Easy-to-Read series.
Turtle and Snake each have a silly mishap on the job: crossing guard Turtle gets soaked when a mouse on a giant unicycle splashes through a puddle, while pizza-chef Snake, showing off for customers, drops some dough on his head. The colorful illustrations will clue in readers as they decode the very brief, action-filled, repetitive sentences.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(4)
PS
The short, simple stories in these board books deal with familiar components of a young child's daily routine--playing, bathing, napping, and (after a brief search) cuddling with a parent. However, the books are so brief that they feel slight. The muted colors and soft lines of the illustrations are very appealing but not quite in focus enough for the typical board book audience.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
(4)
PS
The short, simple stories in these board books deal with familiar components of a young child's daily routine--playing, bathing, napping, and (after a brief search) cuddling with a parent. However, the books are so brief that they feel slight. The muted colors and soft lines of the illustrations are very appealing but not quite in focus enough for the typical board book audience.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
(4)
PS
Compact, rhyming phrases printed in large, bold type compare daytime and nighttime animals: "Brook trout cruises / Catfish snoozes." The animals are realistically drawn, and each of the watercolor and colored pencil illustrations overlaps its surrounding pages, giving the feeling that you are taking a walk on a country farm.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
(4)
PS
The short, simple stories in these board books deal with familiar components of a young child's daily routine--playing, bathing, napping, and (after a brief search) cuddling with a parent. However, the books are so brief that they feel slight. The muted colors and soft lines of the illustrations are very appealing but not quite in focus enough for the typical board book audience.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
13 reviews
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