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LITTLE DUCK

Name: LITTLE DUCK
Author: Britta Teckentrup
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2694-6

From the All Natural series

by Britta Teckentrup ; illustrated by Britta Teckentrup ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 12, 2021

An environmentally conscious charmer.

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Follow Little Duck as she frolics in her pond. Pick up this board book and immediately notice the pleasing matte, cardboardlike texture of the paper. On the book’s cover, an illustrated leaf proclaims the materials to be “all-natural,” which the publisher attributes to the use of eco-friendly inks and all-recycled paper, a fact that’s sure to delight eco-conscious book buyers. Inside is a pitch-perfect toddler tale chronicling Little Duck’s mild adventures, from splashing into a pond, spotting a dragonfly, greeting a friendly frog and fish, and briefly losing (and then immediately relocating) her siblings to “cuddles [from] Mama” at the end. A direct, matter-of-fact narration recounts the list of activities, striking the perfect balance between sentences concise enough to hold little ones’ attention while adding a smattering of rich vocabulary: “Little Duck is curious and swims closer. The dragonfly’s wings glitter brightly in the sun.” Collagelike illustrations composed of rounded, unlined shapes make the main character look rather like a cheery rubber ducky while minimal and coarsely textured natural environments are pleasantly atmospheric. Because of the unbleached paper, the colors are rather dull, and the lack of contrast gears this for somewhat older readers. A companion book, Little Fox, is equally gentle but suffers from a static main character and an unfortunate typo that confuses the book’s timeline. An environmentally conscious charmer. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-4598-2694-6

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Orca

Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
THE HOUSE ON THE CANAL
by Thomas Harding ; illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU ARE PART OF THE WONDER
by Ruth Doyle ; illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

- BOOK REVIEW
A HAPPY PLACE
by Britta Teckentrup ; illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S HALLOWEEN

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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ANIMAL SHAPES

by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.

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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)