Lisa Wheeler

A little reindeer named Octavia narrates the story of her favorite seven uncles in this rhyming holiday counting-tale, detailing how each has his own unique style and gifts, and how each considers her (Octavia!) his favorite niece. As the eight reindeer come together, as they do every time at this year, the purpose of their annual gathering is revealed: it is their role to pull Santa's sleigh!

With a rhyming text that is great fun to read aloud - "Uncle Uno - first in line - / just flew up show more from Caroline, / wears lift tickets on each tine... / and he's my fastest uncle! / He has one hat. / He has one vest. / He wears one stopwatch on his chest. / He lost one pole. He lost one ski. / He says his favorite niece is ME!" - and amusing artwork, Uncles and Antlers would make a wonderful story-time selection. It works as a rhyming text, as a counting book, and as a fun Christmas title featuring Santa's reindeer, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for one (or all three) of those things. show less

When the narrator of this poetic picture-book presses her scientist-parents for a pet, they insist that she do some research first. Trips to the farm, zoo, woodland, and pet store follow, as does some home study. Throughout it all, the girl observes different species, and determines that each, although seemingly attractive at first, has a significant downside. Her eventual "pet," after much consideration, requires a microscope to be seen...

Author Lisa Wheeler and illustrator Zachariah OHora show more play around with the idea of the cute and cuddly animal companion in The Pet Project, which contains numerous species-specific poems, all joining together to tell the overarching story of the girl and her search for the perfect pet. The downside of each animal definitely outweighs the up, and many of the poems had me chuckling. My favorite was the one devoted to the seemingly benign bunnies, who are revealed as planning a military campaign of conquest. The narrator concludes: "Their cute reputations / are rabbity lies. / They're voracious Vikings / in bunny disguise." Recommended for readers looking for rhyming picture-books and/or children's stories with a not-so-sweet take on our animal friends. show less

Aloving ode to folks who get their hands dirty doing nitty-gritty jobs.

It’s all well and good that visionaries—authors, illustrators, scientists, illustrators, architects, and engineers—plot ideas on paper, easels, blueprints, computers, and blackboards, but thoughts, designs, and plans remain figments until pipe fitters, diggers, solderers, construction workers, carpenters, welders, miners, electricians, plumbers, and countless others get down to business and bring dreams to fruition show more by actually making what creators envisioned. Skyscrapers and houses don’t rise on their own, and bridges don’t span waterways by themselves. And books don’t get published by magic, either! Who gets those words and pictures—as in this very book kids are reading/hearing—onto pages? Why, typesetters and workers who run the presses and load the paper machines! This is a gorgeous, respectful tribute, expressed in jaunty rhymes that read well, to the dignity and beauty of industry and the pride and pleasure derived from doing one’s best. The word build is repeatedly italicized for emphasis. Crisp, definitively lined illustrations superbly suit the robust theme. They reveal many future-job possibilities to kids and, happily, depict multiple genders and persons of various races plying various blue-collar and professional trades, including a Black woman reading to kids at a library storytime; one character appears in a wheelchair. Tool and vehicle aficionados will feel at home. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.9-by-22.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at 35.4% of actual size.)

Marvelous as a read-aloud and as a springboard to maker projects in classrooms and libraries. (Picture book. 4-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

Pretty darn cute. Love that the first mom's dress had a design reminiscent of Matisse. Love all the stylized art, tbh, and would like to see more by the illustrator. Wheeler's rhyme works much better, to my ears, than most rhyming stories, probably because it's got a rhythmic pattern and is short.

Love the animals, mostly portrayed with sufficient scientific accuracy to not bug me. Love the diverse rep. of the different humans. Can't choose a favorite page but the goats did make me giggle.