  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2014 In this clever riff on a traditional story motif, dePaola employs his considerable charms to tell the story of a young man from a small village who sets off to meet the king and seek his fortune. Along the way, young Jack encounters and collects a bevy of barnyard animals, each of whom asks to accompany him on his quest. When they reach their destination, the king gives them the keys to a fixer-upper, where Jack and his menagerie will live, presumably, happily ever after. Throughout, dePaola embellishes his story with rich visual detail, including vividly colored printed sound effects, from Jack’s squeaky new shoes to the animals’ sounds, which afford a visual representation of the burgeoning cacophony. Careful viewers will also catch little nods to familiar nursery rhymes along the journey. There is an added depth to dePaola’s recognizable style, with a combination of subtly varied textures and brilliant color applied to a vellum surface, giving the outing a traditional grounding and a contemporary flair. There goes the neighborhood, and it never looked better. - Copyright 2014 Booklist. School Library Journal - 07/01/2014 PreS-Gr 1—In this spin on traditional folktales, Jack yearns to "see the world and make new friends and live in a house in the city." His grandfather advises him to seek the king's counsel. Setting off on his quest, the country boy encounters a chick that asks to come along. In cumulative fashion, a duck, a goose, a dog, and others soon join the joyful parade. When the motley crew arrive at the palace, the king presents them with keys to a big, dilapidated house. The final scene reveals a cacophony of animal sounds coming from the fixer-upper and an old man grumbling, "There goes the neighborhood." His wife wittily quips, "And it's about time." DePaola's trademark illustrations are warmly inviting and feature many nursery-rhyme characters in the backgrounds, such as Jack and Jill heading up a hill and Little Red Riding Hood entering the forest. Preschoolers will root for the plucky hero as he pursues his dreams and eagerly chime in with the pleasing repetitive phrases.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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