Review by New York Times Review
WHEN A CHILD is starting to look beyond picture books, but isn't quite ready for Harry Potter, it's time for "beginner chapter books," those heavily illustrated stories that familiarize children with chapter breaks, and that work when read both independently or aloud. They're chapter books with training wheels - and for writers, they can be tricky to make into a smooth ride. Two new ones, "Juana and Lucas" and "Rabbit and Robot and Ribbit," pull it off charmingly. In the refreshingly original "Juana and Lucas," written and illustrated by Juana Medina, Juana, who goes to school in Bogotá, Colombia, is less than excited about having to learn "the English." Her tongue "tickles with all the THs." Juana would rather just hang out with her dog, Lucas, but her family and friends encourage her to give English a chance. She's finally persuaded when her grandfather promises a trip to Spaceland in Orlando, where everyone - including her favorite superhero, Astroman - speaks English. When Juana applies herself to studying, she quickly becomes a "big and loud fountain of English" and discovers that her new language skills bring benefits like Ramona books and new friends. Medina's beautiful, vivid prose conjures the Colombian setting with tactile language. Bogotá smells like "fresh fruit and bread, and a little bit like wet asphalt," and Juana sees "the Andes Mountains surrounding the city, giving Bogotá a giant hug." A bit too much setup slows down the opening, and might leave some new readers impatient, but once the issue of learning "the English" is introduced, the story itself is a giant hug. Juana's narration is also peppered with easy-to-figure-out Spanish words, so as Juana learns English, the reader learns un poco de Spanish too. And the fun doesn't stop there: Alongside the bright and magical ink-and-watercolor art, Medina's words at times illustrate their meanings. When the day "has clearly taken a turn for the worse," the text veers off the line, toward the bottom of the page, and the words "melt away" appear to melt into the page. While "Juana and Lucas" emphasizes overcoming obstacles in order to communicate, "Rabbit and Robot and Ribbit," written and illustrated by Cece Bell, focuses on the importance of communicating in order to overcome obstacles. In this follow-up to "Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover," Bell, the author of the Newbery Honor graphic memoir "El Deafo," revisits anxious Rabbit and his easygoing friend Robot. Here, Rabbit surprises Robot at home, only to discover that he already has another friend over: Ribbit the frog. Making matters worse, Rabbit can't understand anything Ribbit says - he only hears "Ribbit." Bell does an excellent job capturing Rabbit's jealousy. When Robot sprinkles flies in the popcorn for his frog friend, but no carrots for Rabbit, the reader can taste the protagonist's misery. After Robot overheats from the tension, Rabbit must save him by giving the frog a chance and hearing what she has to say. "I am glad you listened," says the revived Robot. THE BOOK BURSTS with wordplay, heart and humor. I laughed at the chapter titles, all called "Ribbit," and again at Rabbit feverishly searching for help in all the wrong places - the coat rack, the checkerboard, the popcorn bowl. Kids will no doubt love the concept's fun and silliness, though adding the name Ribbit to a story that already has a Rabbit and a Robot does make it a real tongue twister for new readers. And while Medina's text turns into illustration, Bell's illustrations include bits of text, such as jokes and vocabulary words, which I hope won't be overlooked by readers. The Rabbit and Robot books are perfect for kids who like their stories with a side of silliness. "Juana and Lucas" - which happily the publisher says is the first in a series - is ideal for wannabe explorers, bilingual new readers and grown-ups who hope to encourage a love of language, learning and travel. Both of these books seem likely to leave their young readers inspired to take a gamble on new languages, new cultures and new people. SARAH MLYNOWSKI is the author of the Whatever After series and other books for children.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [December 11, 2016]
Review by Booklist Review
Rabbit and Robot return for another comical friendship story in this follow-up to Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover (2012). When Rabbit arrives at Robot's house, he finds his metal friend having fun with Ribbit, a frog who only says ribbit. Robot has no trouble understanding Ribbit, and Rabbit feels left out. Things get worse when Ribbit and Rabbit fight over who will get to play Cowboy Jack Rabbit when reenacting their favorite TV show. Soon, all that fighting overloads Robot's circuits, but there's nothing like a crisis to bring rivals together. The breezy message about jealousy is pitch-perfect for elementary-schoolers navigating new friendships. Meanwhile, Bell's cartoonish yet highly expressive illustrations add helpful visual cues to the straightforward text, and the episodic chapters all cleverly titled Ribbit are tasty morsels for emerging readers.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-In the second title from the series, a new friend is introduced, Ribbit, a frog, and this does not sit well with Rabbit. He shows up unexpectedly to surprise Robot and finds a frog playing checkers with his friend. Rabbit is invited to stay to watch Cowboy Jack Rabbit, his favorite show. But when Robot adds flies to the popcorn, Rabbit cannot take it anymore, despite Ribbit's cordial gestures. Robot is so overwrought by the bickering between his two guests, he malfunctions. This forces Rabbit and Ribbit to work together to fix their mutual friend, and you guessed it, they figure out they can be friends, too. Easy text will draw in emerging readers as well as those ready for a simple chapter book much like Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad" series. The digital illustrations are expressive and joyful and will keep readers engaged in the plot. VERDICT A fun and pleasing friendship story for young readers learning that three doesn't have to be a crowd.-Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In the follow-up to Geisel Honor book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover, Rabbit shows up at Robot's house, but Robot has another friend there. Can Rabbit overcome his jealousy of Robot and (frog) Ribbit's friendship? Alliterative wordplay adds another amusing level to Bell's endearing story about a duo becoming a trio. Full-color digital illustrations give new readers plot clues. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
