Equal parts art and riddle and sophisticated in content and tone, this board book takes readers in unexpected directions....
With its opening words: “One of these things is almost like the others,” this striking, near-wordless book challenges readers to identify which object among a set of vehicles does not quite belong.
Composed of magenta, vibrant blue, and dark-purple stenciled images, the stylized vehicles and one imposter pop off each double-page spread, contrasting luminously with the white background. Thick cardboard pages with a silky texture and a slightly oversize trim add to the luxurious feel. Contraire has done a phenomenal job making the “sneaks” look so similar—who would have thought a honeybee could look so incredibly at home in a collection of helicopters? Each clever choice of misplaced object provokes thoughtful discussion on categorization. The artist plays with scale by placing an oversized baby stroller in a group of trucks, asking readers to puzzle out that while all have wheels and provide transport, one lacks a motor. A few pages aren’t so much brain teasers as they are whimsical fun, with an incongruent caterpillar inching along beside rows of trains or a toaster hidden among buses. The endpapers provide an answer key, a satisfying touch that ties the book together.
Equal parts art and riddle and sophisticated in content and tone, this board book takes readers in unexpected directions. Readers will want this book to “sneak” into their collections. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7516-3
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
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
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on...
An exploration of the human body through colorful photos.
Every other double-page spread labels the individual parts on one major area: head, torso, back, arm and leg. Ethnically diverse boy-girl pairs serve as models as arrows point to specific features and captions float nearby. While the book usefully mentions rarely depicted body parts, such as eyebrow, armpit and shin, some of the directional arrows are unclear. The arrow pointing at a girl’s shoulder hits her in the upper arm, and the belly button is hard is distinguish from the stomach (both are concealed by shirts). Facts about the human body (“Guess what? You have tiny hairs in your nose that keep out dirt”) appear on alternating spreads along with photos of kids in action. Baby Animals, another title in the Look & Learn series, uses an identical format to introduce readers to seal pups, leopard cubs, elephant calves, ducklings and tadpoles. In both titles, the final spread offers a review of the information and encourages readers to match baby animals to their parents or find body parts on a photo of kids jumping on a trampoline.
Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on the right track despite earlier titles that were much too conceptual for the audience. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4263-1483-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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BOOK REVIEW
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