A lovely gift and guide for new parents.
The Pinkneys, prolific creators of books for children, offer a guide for caregivers to affirm their babies’ senses of self-worth.
This treasury has more text directed to caregivers than to children. An introduction headed “Welcome to Joy!” invites caregivers to hold their babies while reading to them and sharing words and pictures that “will hug them tight.” Each of the five sections, with titles such as “Bright Brown Baby,” “Count to Love,” and “Peek-a-You,” begins with a meaningful quote, four from great African American leaders and one from a Sanskrit poem. Then a series of instructions to caregivers (“Get ready to make a big list of blessings”) is followed by illustrations of brown babies with their adults accompanied by short, simple text in the style of board books for babies. (In fact, the separate sections will be released over time as stand-alone board books, with Count to Love! releasing simultaneously.) A final note to parents instructs them to go back through the pages of the treasury and read the quotes aloud to their babies as they take in the images of brown families. Brian Pinkney’s signature swirling curves and saturated colors create a sense of movement in the playful scenes on the book’s pages, while the combination of encouraging text aimed at adults and simple text aimed at babies extends a hand to new parents wanting to tell their little ones how precious they are. The treasury offers a vehicle to carve out the time to do just that.
A lovely gift and guide for new parents. (Picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-545-87229-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
An invitation for readers to learn through observation.
Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.
Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-46509-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring in alphabetical order.
Each page displays an enormous capital letter, one line of verse with the keyword capitalized, and a loving nonhuman parent gazing adoringly at their baby. “A is for Always. I always love you more. / B is for Butterfly kisses. It’s you that I adore.” While not named or labelled as such, the A is also for an alligator and its hatchling and B is for a butterfly and a butterfly child (not a caterpillar—biology is not the aim of this title) interacting in some way with the said letter. For E there are an elephant and a calf; U features a unicorn and foal; and X, keyed to the last letter of the animal’s name, corresponds to a fox and three pups. The final double-page spread shows all the featured creatures and their babies as the last line declares: “Baby, I love you from A to Z!” The verse is standard fare and appropriately sentimental. The art is cartoony-cute and populated by suitably loving critters on solid backgrounds. Hearts accent each scene, but the theme of the project is never in any doubt.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2095-6
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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BOOK REVIEW
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