An adequately crafted sound book that doesn’t last very long (or, perhaps, just long enough).
Little animals make all kinds of sounds.
“The cat meows,” and “the dog barks” in this board book, and a guinea pig, a parrot, and a canary also each make their signature noises. Each turn of the page presents a new scene involving a different household pet. The illustrations are labeled here and there with such words as “cage,” “basket,” and “perch” for little readers to learn. The largest animal in each spread has a speaker icon next to it that little ones can press to hear the sound the animal makes. The final two pages of the book present photographs of the animals with their illustrated counterparts next to them. A similar title, Baby Animals, is concurrently published and highlights puppies, kittens, foals, seal pups, and bear cubs. The books' speakers are in the back cover, which will muffle the sound for readers who hold the books in their laps or read them on a surface. The sound quality is otherwise fair, but the books' batteries don’t last too long. After three or four reads the sounds grow noticeably quieter. The illustrations are serviceable, composed of the usual rounded, big-eyed critters and warm colors that currently permeate board books.
An adequately crafted sound book that doesn’t last very long (or, perhaps, just long enough). (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-2-7338-4611-7
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Auzou Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 6, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
