Hey, Presto!

October 29, 2012
Shireen forgoes the edgy humor of her Good Little Wolf to tell a playful rags-to-riches story of a spotlight-hogging dog who forsakes friendship for fame. Monty, a fuzzy brown dog, and his best friend Presto, an equally scruffy blue cat, live on the streets and “ have much,” but they are happy and have their own talents. Monty’s include “singing, eating ice cream and making extremely silly faces,” while Presto is a “brilliant magician.” When the duo sees a poster soliciting carnival acts, they hightail it to the big tent in hopes of becoming famous. Presto lets Monty take the stage first, helping behind the scenes instead, but Monty quickly turns into a diva. “It was Monty’s turn night... after night... after night.” Fed up, Presto abandons his friend, but returns just in time to save Monty’s televised magic show—and their relationship. Shireen’s characters have oversize heads and bright, googly eyes, making them look ready for adventure. Comedic details including a fire-eating lizard and Monty’s magical disasters bring some spark to a sweet-natured tale about the give-and-take of friendship. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2012
A magic act goes temporarily awry when a bossypants walks all over his best mate. Presto is a sweet-looking, big-headed, blue cat. Monty's probably a dog, with brown fur and a big snout. They "didn't have much, but it didn't matter. They were best friends and they were happy." They do look happy in their alley, complete with trash can, suitcase and two cardboard boxes; however, googly eyes hint at upcoming relational inequality. Monty grandstands, waving a bone and crossing his eyes at nobody in particular, while Presto gazes straight at him adoringly. When they perform a public magic show, it's Presto's technical magic expertise that makes showman Monty shine. Then Monty's ego grows until he's so self-centered and domineering that a dejected Presto must walk away, leaving Monty to fail in his biggest show ever. (Media-savvy kids may call shenanigans on a magic show being "on television"--couldn't it be just digital fakery?) Watching TV, Presto sees Monty's presentation collapsing and "c[a]n't bear it." He returns, and they make up. Shireen's glossy multimedia artwork has a cheery, two-dimensional feeling. Visual jokes (Monty reads Easy Peasy Magic upside down), speech bubbles ("Hey, Presto! Get me chocolate ice cream, with extra sprinkles--now!"), and the techniques behind Presto's tricks add to interest. Distinct from run-of-the-mill argument arcs requiring apology before reconciliation, this alternate model provokes thought. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 1-Presto and Monty live in an alleyway surrounded by garbage and rats, but this cat and dog are happy because they have each other. Monty entertains Presto with his singing and funny faces; Presto amazes Monty with his magic. When they join a carnival, though, fame gets in the way of their friendship. Monty won't let Presto be on stage because he wants the spotlight all to himself. On the day he performs solo at a sold-out show, he discovers just how important Monty is to their act. After apologies are exchanged, the friends perform a new show that showcases both of their talents. Shireen's illustrations are a combination of pencil, ink, collage, and digital rendering. Although the animals at the carnival don't speak, word balloons let readers know how Monty is feeling when he's on the stage. The humor is subtle, but the message about the importance of friendship is strong.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
The friendship of dog Monty and cat Presto is threatened when the former, who wins fans as a carnival magician, gets a big head; it's only when Presto walks away that Monty comes to his senses. The clean, peppy illustrations are an equal partner in the storytelling, showing both how Presto makes Monty's tricks work and Monty's undoing without him.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)