Larf

March 12, 2012
Spires’s characters tend to have uneasy relationships with both themselves and their environments—from Binky the Space Cat, an adventuring feline who doesn’t leave his house, to Small Saul, a gentle pirate among ruffians. Larf fits right in with that crew, a gentle worrywart of a sasquatch who loves his peaceful, out-of-the-way life in the woods. But when he reads that a sasquatch will be appearing in nearby Hunderfitz, he realizes that his life could change for the better with a friend (“He could share hair grooming tips. And his witty commentary on cheesy movies would no longer go to waste”). Things don’t go as planned, but Larf still ends up with a chance at a furry friendship. Humor has always been a strong suit for Spires, and her drily funny storytelling (“Suddenly, Larf spots the other sasquatch! But something doesn’t seem quite right. Why are its eyeballs not moving? Is that a zipper down its belly?”) and drolly detailed illustrations (such as the beret and fake beard that constitute Larf’s “disguise”) will entertain children, older siblings, and adults alike. Ages 3–7.

January 15, 2012
A modest tale of a Bigfoot. Larf is one of those large, hairy, bipedal, apelike cryptids commonly known to humanoids as Sasquatch or Bigfoot. He is a retiring soul--as, evidently, are most Bigfeet. He lives deep in the northern forest with his pet rabbit, Eric, who is one of the more droll creatures--all deadpan, pop-eyed diminutiveness--to inhabit recent picture books. Larf thinks he is one-of-a-kind, but he reads that another Sasquatch is making an appearance in a nearby town. Fascinated, yet harboring the standard run of trepidations when about to meet a potential friend, he dons a minimalist disguise and shows up at the appointed time, only to learn that the Sasquatch is just a guy in costume ("It was all a BIG FAKE"). But someone else has appeared to meet that same Bigfoot, and, who knows, maybe there'll be a Littlefoot in a baby carriage. Spires hits squarely a number of nails here--not least that people wouldn't recognize a Bigfoot right under their collective noses--and her watercolor-and-ink artworks fairly captures the far-north woodlands and the enjoyably kooky characters of her tale. It won't set your hair on fire, but it's a story that exudes its own dry warmth. (Picture book. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2012

K-Gr 3-Larf is a big, lovable sasquatch who believes that he is one of a kind-until he reads in the newspaper that a sasquatch is going to make an appearance in a nearby town. As much as he has tried to stay hidden from the public, Larf must meet him. But what if they don't get along? He tries to dress incognito, which is hard for a seven-foot beast to do, and heads off to town with his pet rabbit humorously strapped in a baby carrier. The noise and hubbub of the town are frightening and disturbing. How can this other sasquatch stand it? When he finally meets him, he discovers that he is a fake: a person in a sasquatch suit. Disappointed, he heads off to catch a bus home where he meets...a beautiful female sasquatch who had come to town for the same reason he had. Larf is nicer than Shrek but the happily-ever-after endings are the same. Children love books about creatures that are different and they will surely love this one. The story has humor and sweetness. The illustrations are big and wonderful, and Larf is given space to be himself in all of them. His bunny in a harness is repeatedly funny, and when he meets Shurl, she has a tiny pet hen cupped in her enormous hand. Larf is sure to draw laughs.-Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2012
Preschool-G *Starred Review* World, meet Larf. The seven-foot-tall, bunny-owning, red-scarf-wearing, ultrahairy Sasquatch lives in happy isolation in the woods, and though he's been spotted a few times, his cover's never been blown because people rarely believe in anything new and strange. So what could the notice in the paper about a Sasquatch making an appearance in town be all about? Larf dons a cunning disguise (beard, beret, and blue jeans) and heads off to investigate in hopes that he might just find someone else like him, a friend with whom to teeter-totter or muse about the burdens of being a beast. It turns out to be a shama guy in a flimsy suitbut in the end, Larf meets a real-life second Sasquatch (a girl, no less!), who's also there in disguise to see what all the fuss is about. Spires, creator of the ever-fun graphic novels starring Binky the Space Cat, offers a doozy of a picture book here. Her cartoony sensibility and big, bold pages will be enjoyed by large groups and independent readers alike. The nicely timed giggles and aww-cute critters will bring plenty of smiles, and if kids learn a bit about independence and making friends, all the better.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2012
Larf believes that he's the world's only sasquatch until he learns that one is making an appearance in a nearby town; his disillusionment (it turns out to be a man in a costume) is short-lived thanks to another surprise. While the writing and art verge on self-consciously quirky, it's impossible to dislike this neurotic gentle creature who jogs, gardens, and has a pet bunny.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)