What’s the opposite of a not-so-hot book? This utterly beguiling offering.
Kids are in for some monkey business.
This U.K. import about opposites is illustrated in watercolors and gouache and given a simian twist in Browne’s inimitable, endearing style. Beautifully rendered primates present pairs of opposites as questions: “What’s the opposite of old?” “What’s the opposite of heavy?” The adjective pairs are understandable, relatable ones: sad/happy, big/small, alone/together (the last pair is depicted especially winningly, with a gathering of colorful primates, some in costume). Each question is presented on a separate page, paired with a different primate species; its one-word answer appears on the following page, usually demonstrated by a different animal. Illustrations and font type will aid in young children’s understanding of the concept; the old/young pair features a demonstrably elderly gorilla contrasted with a tiny, thumb-sucking younger one. The appearance of adjectives in print also helps to clarify words’ meanings; heavy is set in bold black type; big is set in large black capitals. The final question’s a conundrum: “What’s the opposite of opposite?” A clearly puzzled chimp is shown scratching its head: That’s a toughie! Adults reading the book should pause to give young listeners time to think before venturing guesses. The answer: “The same!” Unsurprisingly, the illustration depicting that response is identical to the one demonstrating the question. The wonderful cover features a smiling gorilla cradling an adorable toy monkey.
What’s the opposite of a not-so-hot book? This utterly beguiling offering. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Nov. 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781536235692
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers.
The team of Costain and Lovšin (Daddies are Awesome, 2016) gives moms their due.
Rhyming verses tell of all the ways moms are amazing: “Mommies are magic. / They kiss away troubles… // …find gold in the sunlight / and rainbows in bubbles.” Moms are joyful—the best playmates. They are also fearless and will protect and soothe if you are scared. Clever moms know just what to do when you’re sad, sporty moms run and leap and climb, while tender moms cuddle. “My mommy’s so special. / I tell her each day… // … just how much I love her / in every way!” Whereas dads were illustrated with playful pups and grown-up dogs in the previous book, moms are shown as cats with their kittens in myriad colors, sizes, and breeds. Lovšin’s cats look as though they are smiling at each other in their fun, though several spreads are distractingly cut in half by the gutter. However delightful the presentation—the verse rolls fairly smoothly, and the cats are pretty cute—the overall effect is akin to a cream puff’s: very sweet and insubstantial.
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62779-651-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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