From Publishers Weekly
Radunsky's (The Pup Grew Up!; Hail to the Mail) stylized, hand-colored, cut-paper art triumphantly illustrates Martin's (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?) playful paean to adverbs. At center stage is a clown-like creature, "The Maestro," who plays a progression of instruments. And how does he play? In an intriguing variety of ways, including some that are easy enough to understand ("flowingly, glowingly, knowingly, showingly, goingly") and some that will require youngsters to use their imaginations ("nippingly, drippingly, zippingly, clippingly, pippingly"). The book's mischievous type (it changes size and position from one spread to another), rompish rhyme and dazzling colors will keep youngsters turning the pages... quickly, contentedly, repeatedly. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-While a maestro can be considered a master of any art, in the field of music, the term usually reserved for a composer, teacher, or conductor. Here, he is the actual musician, playing a variety of instruments during a rather unusual concert in which the multitalented virtuoso rides animals, swings on a trapeze, and walks a tightrope while playing. Radunsky's wonderfully bizarre illustrations, created from hand-colored cut paper, are a visual delight. His two-page spreads, sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, use a variety of bold colors and shapes. His constant change of scale keeps things lively. Radunsky does an amazing job of conveying the various emotions, from the introspective depiction of the maestro seated at the piano to his joyous marching as he "sweepingly" plays an accordian. Just as important to the success of this book is the text. Martin achieves most of his rhymes by using adverbs ending in "ly." Thus the musician plays at various times "proudly," "loudly," "dizzily" or "wildly." An infectious rhythm builds, at times lapsing into nonsense, but resulting in an almost perfect coupling of text and illustration.
George Delalis, Chicago Public LibraryCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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