A pleasant introduction to the power in sticking together.
Animals discover they are not alone.
There’s strength in numbers in this board book. Each page features a single animal looking for some sort of assistance. When little readers lift the large flaps on the recto of each spread, the scene changes to a group of animals solving the problem. A lone prairie dog nervously confronts a snake but is then defended by his family once the flap is lifted. A baby crow hungrily spots a worm out of reach in a tree; it’s then lowered by her mother so she can eat it. The book ends with a brown-skinned baby alone in a living room, and the flap lifts to reveal loving dads (one white, one black), siblings, and grandparents. The illustrations are made of comfortably round lines and are bright with a primary-color palette that little readers are quite familiar with. There is value added with vocabulary that introduces the names of animal babies and collective names, where appropriate. This is likely to be overshadowed by the die-cut shapes in each lifting flap that, when closed, isolate the single animal that is depicted with its family underneath. These cutouts are quite detailed, including tails and individual toes, and although the pages are of sturdy stock, they are likely to fall victim to little fingers before long.
A pleasant introduction to the power in sticking together. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2538-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
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
In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.
Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014
ISBN: 978-0451469786
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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