Synopsis
Much dislikied by the town grownups, Schnorky is a nonconformist who lives in a boathouse by the pier, surfs, and gathers seeds in the forest, until he, his dog, and his surfboard come to the rescue of three fisherman and a cat during a storm.
Reviews
Kindergarten-Grade 4?Schnorky is a surfer dude, a loner who hangs out with his dog and his board. The kids in town think he's great but the parents put him down until he becomes a hero by rescuing four people and a cat from a sinking ship. His elevated status doesn't last long as Schnorky skips the party in his honor. Nevertheless, the kids leave a cake at his doorstep. With its abrupt ending, the book leaves readers dissatisfied. There's not enough development within the tale to support the frenetic, explosive illustrations. Exhibiting a mixture of styles reminiscent of both Picasso and The Jetsons, the pictures combine a bold, black line with creative coloring, opaque and patterned, to create a ramshackle, unsettled look. Words and visuals are integrated by means of a wide variety of methods from wraparound words to captions to dialogue balloons. The characters are unappealing; Schnorky has an oversized, crescent-shaped head with popping curlicue eyes and a stakelike nose. Working hard to attract a modern crowd, this book packs in too much, using too many techniques that ultimately overpower the limp story.?Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Cowpunchers tame cattle, so by extension a wave puncher conquers the sea. The reclusive title character of this Australian import uses weather charts and "rain dust" to predict the best surf. And when Schnorky pedals to the beach, surfboard in tow, the kids of Bodgey Head watch with fascination ("He looks old enough to drive a car, but it's hard to tell. People say he's always looked sort of young and sort of old at the same time"). Schnorky is their hero, but parents do not like him, "no, not at all." "He doesn't use money!!!" a banker complains. "He doesn't wear shoes!" says a shoestore owner. The hypocritical townsfolk accept Schnorky only after he rescues the crew of a foundering boat?then quickly reject him again after he skips a very grown-up, very uncool award ceremony held in his honor. Raglus's asymmetrical illustrations, festooned with dialogue balloons and signs, target postmodern sensibilities. The doodles of off-kilter houses, apoplectic teenagers and cars with tailfins have a faux-futuristic look, like the work of J.otto Siebold or the animated series Ren and Stimpy; the type varies in size and color for emphasis, and text unspools recklessly all over the pages. In its fashionably fractured design and its idealization of nonconformity, this one is not so much for kids as for the MTV set. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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