SATA
ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE:
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.marcuscutler.com
CITY: Tecumseh
STATE:
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: two daughters.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and children’s book creator.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Marcus Cutler is a children’s book author and illustrator who works from his home in Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada. Cutler admitted on his personal website that he enjoys both writing and drawing anything, except for bicycles. Cutler prefers to feature weird characters doing funny things.
In Lark Takes a Bow, Lark and Connor go to their community theater to find out who is playing pranks there. They alternate between practicing acting for their roles and looking around for clues but must hurry before the production gets shut down due to all the commotion. Reviewing the book in Resource Links, Holly Rainville mentioned that “this is a great first chapter book, with lessons being taught about honesty, friendship and forgiveness.”
Lark and the Dessert Disaster find Lark and Connor judging a local baking contest. Sophie’s baked dish, however, was destroyed, leaving the twins no choice but to figure out who was responsible. In a review in Resource Links, Myra Junyk remarked that “young readers who are making the transition to chapter books will enjoy this novel with its appealing black and white illustrations as well as the accessible vocabulary.”
In The Owl and the Two Rabbits, two rabbit sisters disobey their parents and play exposed in the open tundra. A hungry, large white owl swoops in and grabs them both. The sisters coordinate their squirming to throw the owl off balance. The owl’s wife advises him to drop one so he does not lose both, but his greed causes both rabbits to get free. A Kirkus Reviews contributor explained that “this traditional Inuit story from Nunavut teaches children the importance of parental guidance—with a dash of excitement.”
The Walrus and the Caribou is an Inuit origin story that centers around Guk’s creation of the walrus and the caribou. Initially, the walrus has huge antlers, and the caribou has tusks coming out from its snout. Guk fixes this error so each animal is better suited to its environment. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called it “a lively #ownvoices romp into the power of intention—and the hilarity of trial and error.”
The Three Canadian Pigs features three pigs that love playing ice hockey. A wolf chases the pigs into their snow fort and enlists help from a moose and a bear to get them to come out. To prevent their fort from being destroyed, the pigs challenge them to an ice hockey match. A Kirkus Reviews contributor described it as being “a humorous exploration of the value of playing fair.”
With Dear Polar Bears, the polar bears from across the Arctic are eager to party with the penguins from Antarctica. As they migrate south, they create quite a stir. They are rewarded with lots of fish when they eventually arrive. A Kirkus Reviews contributor found it to offer “lighthearted fun for all (except perhaps that one penguin going down the hatch), with some solid underlying messages.”
In I Do Not Eat Children, a monster promises to never eat children. However, during meal time, ten kids that sit near the monster quickly begin to disappear. A Kirkus Reviews contributor suggested that “kids will gobble this tale up.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2019, review of The Owl and the Two Rabbitts; March 1, 2020, review of The Walrus and the Caribou; September 1, 2022, review of The Three Canadian Pigs: A Hockey Story; April 1, 2023, review of Dear Polar Bears; December 15, 2023, review of I Do Not Eat Children.
Resource Links, October 1, 2018, Holly Rainville, review of Lark Takes A Bow, p. 11; April 1, 2019, Myra Junyk, review of Lark and the Dessert Disaster, p. 9.
School Library Journal, February 1, 2024, Betsy Bird, “I Do Not Eat Children: An Irreverent Q&A with Marcus Cutler.”
ONLINE
CBC website, https://www.cbc.ca/ (March 15, 2024), Dalson Chen, “Tecumseh-based Children’s Book Illustrator Makes Debut as Monster Author.”
Marcus Cutler website, https://www.marcuscutler.com (July 24, 2024).
I love writing and drawing things! My favourite things to draw are funny and weird characters doing funny and weird things. My least favourite thing to draw is bicycles. When I’m not writing or drawing I like to watch movies, cook breakfast, and practice kung fu.
I live in Tecumseh, Ontario with my wife and two daughters.
I Do Not Eat Children: An Irreverent Q&A with Marcus Cutler
February 1, 2024 by Betsy Bird Leave a Comment
I’m not here to point fingers. Maybe you eat children. Maybe you do not. Who am I to judge? but if you say that y u don’t eat children then it’s only fair to hold you to your word. Now Marcus Cutler? He has a new picture book out on February 20th that states its eating-children-position far and wide. But what is the book actually about? A quick synopsis:
A big orange creature lurks in a crowded playground…but don’t worry! He would never eat a child. What do you think he is…a MONSTER? And kids are definitely not disappearing every time you turn a page. You’re imagining things. The monster has nothing to hide; in fact, he loves children. And he would never, ever, ever—oops! There goes another kid….
This laugh-out-loud story will keep readers guessing until the end, then send them straight back to the beginning to keep a close eye on the wily monster (and the one kid who knows exactly what he’s up to). A great read aloud for bedtime (or anytime!), this silly and subversive picture book delivers poetic justice and giggles galore.
Needless to say, I had some questions . . .
Betsy Bird: Marcus! Thanks so much for joining me here today! Particularly since you have just written a book in my favorite picture book genre of all time: Titles in which the protagonist gets eaten. So tell us a little about where this book came from! What are its origins?
SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST
ADVERTISEMENT
Marcus Cutler: Hi Betsy, thanks so much for having me, it’s an honor! It sounds like you and I have similar tastes in books! The concept for this book came from a game I used to play with my daughters. We called it “Monster,” but it was really any game where we would play-fight. It had a shifting set of rules, but for a while it involved me capturing one of my kids and pretending I was taking bites out of them. They would scream for me to stop eating them and I would just deny I was doing it. They thought it was hilarious! I don’t know if I actually said, “I do not eat children,” but I like to think I did. The line got stuck in my head for a while, and the rest of the idea just fell into place like magic. Deirdre Jones, my editor at Little, Brown, really helped me to refine it, and made it so much better.
I should be clear though that I never actually bit my kids or ate them in any way! Or any kids at all, ever! They are far too stinky and gross for my tastes. Even if they were freshly scrubbed, battered, rolled in a combination of brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, and paprika, slowly roasted for 8 hours, and served on a kaiser bun with artisanal mayonnaise. What am I, a monster?
BB: I am personally of the opinion that the best picture books often come out of games you play with your kids, so no judgement here. The book is, I’ll just say it, pretty gutsy. It’s not moralizing. We’re not all friends with the monster at the end. The great swath of picture books out there tend to be on the ooey gooey, sentimental side. Your book suffers no such ill. Was it received immediately by everyone you pitched it to with great love or did it take you a while to find the right home for it?
MC: Wow, thanks for saying it’s “gutsy.” I like that a lot! I honestly wasn’t trying to be edgy, I just thought that the idea was interesting and funny. But yes, after I mocked it up, I did start to worry that it might not be well received. Before sending it to my agent, Steven Chudney, I did some research and made a spreadsheet of other picture books where characters were killed or eaten, so that I could defend the idea if I had to. But I was surprised and happy that no one really ever pushed back on it, and that it sold to Little, Brown really quickly! I think Steven was a bit surprised too! I’m pretty curious to see what people think once it’s out in the world.
BB: I have to ask this because it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw your cover. Is it, by any chance, an homage to GO AWAY, BIG GREEN MONSTER? Both books do involve the subtle disappearance of something, whether it’s children or body parts. Or was that a coincidence?
MC: I love Ed Emberley! I grew up on his drawing books, in fact, I might not have been an illustrator without them. I actually haven’t thought of GO AWAY, BIG GREEN MONSTER in a while – so beautiful and creative! Both books do empower children to overcome monsters, so maybe it was a subconscious homage. I’m fine with giving him some of the credit. And if any librarians want to display my book alongside Ed Emberley’s, I think that would look great. Actually, they should probably, definitely do that.
I think the big influence for this book was actually THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK. It was my first favorite book. My kindergarten teacher read it to us and it had us screaming. I think that was my first encounter with fourth-wall breaking, and my mind was blown. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. So yes, I think the best library display would be GO AWAY, BIG GREEN MONSTER, THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK, and I DO NOT EAT CHILDREN. I won’t decide which one goes in the middle though.
BB: A fine and fabulous monster-related triumvirate. This isn’t your only picture book out in 2024, of course. If I’m not too much mistaken you are also the illustrator of THE RAVEN BOY by Rosemarie Avrana Meyok. In both that and this book the characters make choices wholly unexpected to any reader who has previously read only picture books that are all sweetness and light. What draws you to the stories that tread unfamiliar territory?
MC: I had a wonderful time illustrating THE RAVEN BOY. It’s based on an Inuit folktale, and like all great folktales, it does explore some of the darker truths of the world. And I feel that’s really important, but it’s also really fun. I think it’s easiest to hook people, and kids especially, with the funny, weird, or spooky stuff. I don’t know if I could do something that was purely sentimental, that’s too hard! I think sweet books are wonderful if they’re done well, but you really need to land the emotionality, which is a big challenge. Plus, I would just get too embarrassed by it – I think need irreverence as my emotional body-armor.
BB: Just gonna write down the term “emotional body-armor” for my own personal use now. Moving on, if I know publishers then I know that publishers like picture book series more than anything else. Any chance we might see other monsters coming out of you in the future?
MC: I hope so! If I could have it my way, I would draw nothing but monsters. And this guy could come back. I think he’s not unlike Jason Voorhees that way…
SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST
ADVERTISEMENT
BB: And, with that, Marcus Cutler officially marked the very first time a Jason Voorhees reference was ever made on this site. Finally, what do you have coming out next?
MC: Speaking of THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK, DO NOT TURN THE PAGE! by Jane Blondie is a total homage to that masterpiece. It’s about Charlie, who is desperately messy, and every page turn brings him closer and closer to the bath tub, which he really does not want. It was fantastic getting to illustrate so many messy scenes. It will be released by Scholastic Canada in spring, 2025.
And in May this year LARK GOES THE DISTANCE, written by Natasha Deen, will be out. It’s the latest in the Lark Ba detective series. I’ve been drawing Lark and her brother Connor for quite a while now, and Natasha is always coming up with fun new characters to add in, and clever mysteries to solve. That’s from Orca Book Publishers.
BB: Marvelous! Well, thank you so much, Marcus, for joining us, and being unafraid to answer my tough questions about monsters.
Tecumseh-based children's book illustrator makes debut as monster author
Marcus Cutler's new book I Do Not Eat Children is aimed at readers ages 4 to 8
Dalson Chen · CBC News · Posted: Mar 15, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 15
Tecumseh children's book illustrator becomes monster author
1 month ago
Duration1:39
Tecumseh-based children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler is excited about his debut as a writer: I Do Not Eat Children was recently released by one of the biggest publishing houses in North America.
Social Sharing
Facebook
X
Email
Reddit
LinkedIn
comments
How would you draw a duplicitous monster who definitely does not eat children?
For Marcus Cutler, a Tecumseh, Ont.-based illustrator and now author of children's books, such a villain has a prominent uni-brow, a pickle-shaped nose, pants with horizontal stripes and a wide, fanged grin.
"I wanted him to look a little bit sinister and a little bit goofy, all at the same time," Cutler explains.
A smiling man at a computer with illustrations for children's books.
Tecumseh resident Marcus Cutler, a professional illustrator of children's books, in his home drawing space. (Dalson Chen/CBC)
A close-up of a children's book.
Tecumseh resident and children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler shows his latest work: A book entitled I Do Not Eat Children. (Dalson Chen/CBC)
Although Cutler has been professionally providing drawings for kids' books for 10 years, his latest work — the picture book I Do Not Eat Children — is his debut as a published writer.
"There's a monster and a large group of children, and the monster likes to talk about how he doesn't eat children, and how he would never, ever eat a child," Cutler says.
"The children around him start mysteriously disappearing, one by one."
Pages inside a children's book about a cartoon monster.
Pages inside Tecumseh-based illustrator Marcus Cutler's new children's book, I Do Not Eat Children. (Marcus Cutler)
Inspiration for the book came from Cutler playing with his two daughters when they were younger.
"I'd grab them and I'd go nom nom nom," Cutler says, miming exaggerated biting motions.
"They'd say 'Stop eating us!' And I'd say, 'I"m not eating you. I don't know what you're talking about.'"
Aimed at kids in the age range of four to eight years old, the book is being released by Little, Brown and Company — one of the oldest and most distinguished publishing houses in North America.
Cutler credits his agent for landing him a major publisher for his first book as a writer.
Drawings for children's books.
Examples of past illustration work by Tecumseh's Marcus Cutler. (Marcus Cutler)
But Cutler's past work likely also played a role: He's been the illustrator on such books as the Canadian Travel Guide for Monsters, The Three Canadian Pigs, Inuit animal tales published in both English and Inuktitut language, and the Lark Ba Detective series — which showcases a plucky Korean-Canadian girl with a mixed-race family.
"You want to make sure you have good representation," Cutler says. "You want to have kids be able to relate."
A man draws a cartoon monster on his computer.
Tecumseh resident and children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler shows how he works. (Dalson Chen/CBC)
Still My Tessa by Sylv Chiang & Mathias Ball wins CBC Kids Reads 2024
CBC Kids Reads is back! 6 Canadian picture books in the running to be crowned this year's champion
Cutler does all his drawing digitally, in the basement of his Tecumseh home. He uses a stylus, graphics tablet, and touch screen to sketch his creations in Adobe software. Adding a "watercolour" texture is a favoured technique.
"I do miss painting by hand. I need to come back to that sometime," Cutler reflects.
A page in a children's book showing a cartoon monster belching.
A page from Marcus Cutler's new book I Do Not Eat Children. (Dalson Chen/CBC)
Cutler says he grew up with ambitions of being a comic book artist or animator. But fate — and his family — brought him to children's literature.
"When you have kids, you start telling them stories and making up a lot more ideas," Cutler reminisces. "It's the most fun thing. Kids are a great audience. I share their sense of humour."
Appreciation for childish humour runs throughout I Do Not Eat Children. Cutler created a dedicated website for the book, which includes an activities page and videos of Cutler reading the story.
A close-up of a hand drawing a cartoon monster on a computer screen.
Tecumseh children's book illustrator Marcus Cutler works on a new creation. (Dalson Chen/CBC)
He even has some advice for parents when they read the book with their kids: Be prepared for the part where the monster lets out a mighty suspicious burp.
"You need to really pace yourself on your big belch, because it covers two spreads. It starts on one page, and you turn the page, and it keeps going," Cutler says. "Take a deep breath beforehand."
Cutler will be signing books and doing readings of I Do Not Eat Children on Friday afternoon at the Indigo bookstore at Devonshire Mall (3100 Howard Ave.). Hours are 12 pm to 3 p.m. and attendance is free.
DEEN, Natasha
Lark Takes A Bow
Illustrated by Marcus Cutler. Orca Book Publishers, 2018. 96p. Illus. Gr. 2-4. 978-1-459817159. Pbk. $6.95
Lark and her twin brother Connor return in another adventure, and this time they take on theatre. Mysteries seem to find these twins wherever they go, so when they find out that somebody is playing pranks on their community theatre they're on the case! The twins take turns between practising their parts and sleuthing around the theatre looking for clues. They have a short list of suspects to question, but none of them seem guilty and time is running out since Mr. Folopoulos is threatening to shut down the play if the pranks don't stop. The twins put their heads together and look through their clues, and what they discover surprises them all.
This is a great first chapter book, with lessons being taught about honesty, friendship and forgiveness. At the end of the book there is a helpful collection of words and terms Lark uses throughout the book and a short explanation for readers who may have been as confused as Lark about the sayings.
Thematic Links: Mystery; Adventure
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Rainville, Holly. "DEEN, Natasha: Lark Takes A Bow." Resource Links, vol. 24, no. 1, Oct. 2018, pp. 11+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A561344206/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=972e0b69. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
DEEN, Natasha Lark and the Dessert Disaster Illustrated by Marcus Cutler. Orca Book Publishers, 2019. 104p. Illus. Gr. 2-4. 978-1-45982-067-8. Pbk. $6.95 (Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy)
Lark and her twin brother Connor are judges for the annual baking contest. When they arrive to judge the tasty desserts, they discover that someone has destroyed Sophie's entry. Sophie is Lark's best friend. The twins who are amateur sleuths immediately start searching for the culprit. Is the culprit one of the other contestants? If so, how can they judge the contest fairly?
This is the fourth volume in Natasha Deen's Lark Series for young readers making the transition to chapter books. Lark and the Dessert Disaster is an interesting mystery. The heroine is Lark Ba, an engaging character who will appeal to a wide range of readers. Diversity is celebrated in this novel. There are a wide variety of desserts entered in the baking contest from various cultures. Lark and her twin brother Connor have a Korean/Swahili heritage. This novel also addresses the issue of dyslexia. Lark deals with her dyslexia in a very positive manner by celebrating new words and phrases. The writer helps readers visualize Lark's thinking throughout the book by crossing out various words in the text, and including a section at the end called "The Words Lark Loves," dealing with interesting new words and idioms.
Natasha Deen capitalizes on the current baking craze in the media with references to cookbooks and the North American penchant for eating cookies! Readers will probably be aware of television programs showcasing children baking, which could spark their interest in a "dessert disaster." This book also highlights the process of solving mysteries and using clues. Lark and her twin brother Connor are amateur private investigators who have solved mysteries in previous novels in this series.
Young readers who are making the transition to chapter books will enjoy this novel with its appealing black and white illustrations as well as the accessible vocabulary.
Thematic Links: Mystery; Dyslexia; Diversity; Idioms; Baking; Friendship; Competition
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Junyk, Myra. "DEEN, Natasha: Lark and the Dessert Disaster." Resource Links, vol. 24, no. 4, Apr. 2019, p. 9. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A587655110/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4ca7d8c8. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Sammurtok, Nadia THE OWL AND THE TWO RABBITS Inhabit Media (Children's Traditional Literature) $16.95 9, 17 ISBN: 978-1-77227-236-9
A cautionary tale about rabbit sisters who disobey their parents and find trouble as a result.
Even though their parents told them not to play out in the open tundra, two rabbit sisters climb atop rocks on a hillside. Trying to outdo each other in a jumping game, the rabbits soon see a large white owl land in front of them. Its talons are sharp and its belly grumbling. He grabs the two rabbits and won't let go even as he is unable to take flight due to the way they squirm and fight. A comical scene follows as the rabbits work together to throw the owl off balance. The owl's wife coaches her partner from the sky, telling him to let go of one of the rabbit sisters. Luckily for young readers who might be distressed at the thought that the protagonists might be eaten, the owl's greed is overwhelming, and he will not listen to her advice. By sticking together, and believing in themselves, the rabbit sisters hatch an escape plan and learn an important lesson. The dark nature of the tale is mitigated by the style of illustration: Bright pastel colors cover each page, and the soft features of the owl and pink-eared rabbits alleviate some of the tension in the life-and-death struggle.
This traditional Inuit story from Nunavut teaches children the importance of parental guidance--with a dash of excitement. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Sammurtok, Nadia: THE OWL AND THE TWO RABBITS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A593064460/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=51896d9d. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Harper, Maika THE WALRUS AND THE CARIBOU Inhabit Media (Children's Fiction) $16.95 4, 14 ISBN: 978-1-77227-256-7
In this playful retelling of an Inuit origin story, a feisty elder creates two of the Arctic’s most celebrated animals.
Guk, an Inuit woman with graying braids and light brown skin, has the power to “breath[e] life into the world.” With imagination and exuberance, Guk creates the walrus and the caribou. Young readers may notice that Guk’s creations aren’t quite as they should be: The walrus sports “huge antlers” while the caribou’s snout contains fearsome tusks. Aside from their comical appearances (rendered whimsically in Cutler’s cartoony illustrations), the walrus’ and caribou’s mismatched features also wreak havoc on the human world. The walrus’ antlers accidentally “overturn the kayaks in the water”; meanwhile, “every time it saw a hunter, the caribou would charge him with its tusks.” Guk addresses these issues by gleefully swapping the appendages to better suit the animals. In a final act of reckoning, Guk punishes the caribou for its cantankerous attacks against the hunters, via a swift kick—thereby giving the caribou its distinctively flat forehead and skittishness of humans. Inuit author Harper’s high-spirited version of this Indigenous oral tale will make a delightful addition to both libraries and personal collections. Backmatter includes a short Inuktitut glossary with a link to more Inuktitut language resources.
A lively #ownvoices romp into the power of intention—and the hilarity of trial and error. (author’s introduction, glossary) (Picture book. 5-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Harper, Maika: THE WALRUS AND THE CARIBOU." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A616094146/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bd42e30a. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Watkinson, Jocelyn THE THREE CANADIAN PIGS Sleeping Bear Press (Children's None) $17.99 8, 15 ISBN: 978-1-5341-1160-8
Canuck jokes run amok in this hockey-themed twist on "The Three Little Pigs."
After a rigorous practice, a trio of porcine players smile on the rink while a shady wolf in a denim outfit and trucker hat spies on them from the bushes. Cold and starving, the wolf claims the pigs for a meal, forcing them to flee for their lives over the frost-covered hills before seeking refuge in their CN Tower-inspired snow fort. Though he threatens to blow the house down and even brings in a pair of minions--a burly bear and moose--to help him, the wolf is unable to reach the pigs. The porky pals don't take the assault of their home lightly, charging out and challenging Wolf and company to settle this beef the Canadian way--with a hockey game! Lessons about the importance of good sportsmanship and honoring the terms of competition are delivered clearly, intentionally, and in rhyming verse. There are a few places where the text and illustrations aren't in sync--like when the pigs "[take] off on their blades" (the accompanying image shows them leaving on a snowmobile instead of ice skates)--but the emphasis on settling scores with competition instead of violence makes it a sweet, silly lesson for young athletes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A humorous exploration of the value of playing fair. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Watkinson, Jocelyn: THE THREE CANADIAN PIGS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715352993/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=29431c61. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Prendergast, Gabrielle DEAR POLAR BEARS Orca (Children's None) $21.95 2, 14 ISBN: 9781459833005
Polar bears wouldn't think of missing a party--even if it's at the far end of the world.
No sooner do written invitations from the penguins arrive in Alaska, Nunavut, Siberia, and Norway than the polar bears pack their suitcases, hug loved ones goodbye, and set out on the long journey to Antarctica. Pausing along the way to get directions from passersby and marvel at wonders like the Egyptian pyramids and Machu Picchu, the bears wash up at last on a rocky shore (it's been "a little warmer than usual," as the invitation notes) where their feathered hosts await with a large pile of fish for noshes. Cutler expands on Prendergast's spare text with wordless scenes, some inset like postcards, to illustrate both the trip and the preparations--culminating in a get-together that, aside from one furry guest who plainly regards the penguins themselves as party food, is altogether amicable. The author explains at the end that, of course, living at opposite latitudes, the two animals never actually meet in the wild and also that both are threatened by habitat loss. Human figures met along the way are racially diverse, and one friendly city dweller wears a hijab. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Lighthearted fun for all (except perhaps that one penguin going down the hatch), with some solid underlying messages. (Picture book. 5-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Prendergast, Gabrielle: DEAR POLAR BEARS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A743460920/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8ea210b9. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
Cutler, Marcus I DO NOT EAT CHILDREN Little, Brown (Children's None) $15.99 2, 20 ISBN: 9780316474726
A towering red creature is outsmarted by a child.
"I would never eat a child," says a tall critter, who holds a hand over its heart and makes a scout's honor gesture. A line of 10 racially diverse children (one of whom uses a wheelchair) flank the not-monster at the outset, resembling an ensemble waiting to take a bow at a curtain call. Kids disappear with each turn of the page, leaving behind accessories such as a soccer ball or a trumpet to mark their place in the lineup. Though we see the nameless "monster" reaching for unsuspecting tots and burping up a green cloud containing possessions belonging to the kids, it skirts around the label and the idea that it would ever eat children. "Maybe it is you who eats children," the red-skinned beastie supposes, pointing toward the reader. Readers will enjoy flipping back and forth to see which children have vanished as the not-monster denies all involvement in the rapid and reliable disappearances. The text is spare and direct, with the only dialogue coming from the not-monster until the very last spread. What happens to this antihero? The last standing child, with puffy pigtails and dark skin, declares, "I do eat liars." And the creature cleanly disappears in a scene sure to elicit chuckles.
Kids will gobble this tale up. (Picture book. 3-5)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Cutler, Marcus: I DO NOT EAT CHILDREN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A776005313/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=882095b4. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.