It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there; kids need to learn how to count in order to survive.
Count from one to 10 with this nimble concept creation.
One tiny fish with a bright red tail swims all alone. A sandy ocean landscape lines the bottom, with swirls of blue covering most of the spread. The text is spare: “1 one lonely fish….” But a flip of the page (featuring a clever triangular snip from the recto page’s edge) suddenly shows a new fish, mouth open wide, swimming right behind the first one! Now there are “2 two fish.” The next page, with an even larger triangular snip, brings a still bigger fish to the aquatic parade, this one with pointy teeth, ready to chomp. “3 three fish.” (Alas, the paper engineering falters a bit: the final, smallest page turn does not fully conceal the text from the previous fish's spread.) Assuredly designed to appeal to toddlers, this spry page-turner has minimal text, bold numerals, and varied, colorful fish, all pleasingly lined up by increasing size. The ocean floor stays constant, with the exception of two crab friends: one scuttles about (while growing increasingly worried), and one naps through most of the action. Anticipation rather than narration propels each page turn, and the repeated practice of counting every time a new fish is added is sure to delight youngsters. One comically big gulp at the end makes everything come full circle.
It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there; kids need to learn how to count in order to survive. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68119-201-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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