bookshelf

I HAVE A LITTLE SEEDLING

Name: I HAVE A LITTLE SEEDLING
Author: Cari Meister
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1002-2

From the New Books for Newborns series

by Cari Meister ; illustrated by Jenni Desmond ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2018

Expect oohs and aahs when planted at a baby shower.

bookshelf

Newborns and toddlers will miss this gentle board book’s subtleties, but new moms will get the message: Babies grow all too quickly.

Meister mimics the rhythm and rhyme of the old nursery song about catkins, “I Have a Little Pussy,” to describe a seedling’s growth. Consistent syllable counts and unforced rhymes make the four-line stanzas read smoothly. Meanwhile the illustrations show both a seedling and a baby growing up. A patient gray pussycat on each spread observes their progress and echoes the pussy willows of the origin rhyme. The story starts on the cover. A mom cuddling a blanket-wrapped baby sits in a swing hung from a mature tree. Over the course of five verses spread over 14 pages, the titular seedling is planted, tended, and grows into a sapling as the baby goes from sleeping newborn to preschool child reading independently under that sapling. In between are playful images of the growing baby pulling the cat’s tail, toddling in a rainstorm, “helping” pull weeds near the seedling, and pushing the cat in a cart. Elements in the illustrations suggest growth and seasonal changes. The baby’s onesie has tiny leaves; the toddler’s shorts have slightly larger leaves; the child’s book cover and T-shirt are decorated with trees. The final illustration of the mother pushing the child in the swing under the blooming tree brings the story full circle. Both mother and child have pale skin.

Expect oohs and aahs when planted at a baby shower. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: April 10, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5344-1002-2

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: June 10, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
PONY POEMS FOR LITTLE PONY LOVERS
by Cari Meister ; illustrated by Sara Rhys

- BOOK REVIEW
TINY GOES BACK TO SCHOOL
by Cari Meister ; illustrated by Rich Davis

- BOOK REVIEW
TINY ON THE FARM
by Cari Meister & illustrated by Rich Davis

bookshelf

LLAMA LLAMA SHAPES

From the Learning With Llama Llama series

developed by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by JT Morrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023

An invitation for readers to learn through observation.

bookshelf

Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.

Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-593-46509-7

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
LLAMA LLAMA'S LITTLE LIE
by Anna Dewdney & Reed Duncan ; illustrated by JT Morrow

- BOOK REVIEW
LLAMA LLAMA BACK TO SCHOOL
by Anna Dewdney & Reed Duncan ; illustrated by JT Morrow

- BOOK REVIEW
LLAMA LLAMA MEETS THE BABYSITTER
by Anna Dewdney & Reed Duncan ; illustrated by JT Morrow

bookshelf

THE ABCS OF LOVE

by Rose Rossner ; illustrated by AndoTwin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 1, 2020

Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday.

bookshelf

Animal parents declare their love for their offspring in alphabetical order.

Each page displays an enormous capital letter, one line of verse with the keyword capitalized, and a loving nonhuman parent gazing adoringly at their baby. “A is for Always. I always love you more. / B is for Butterfly kisses. It’s you that I adore.” While not named or labelled as such, the A is also for an alligator and its hatchling and B is for a butterfly and a butterfly child (not a caterpillar—biology is not the aim of this title) interacting in some way with the said letter. For E there are an elephant and a calf; U features a unicorn and foal; and X, keyed to the last letter of the animal’s name, corresponds to a fox and three pups. The final double-page spread shows all the featured creatures and their babies as the last line declares: “Baby, I love you from A to Z!” The verse is standard fare and appropriately sentimental. The art is cartoony-cute and populated by suitably loving critters on solid backgrounds. Hearts accent each scene, but the theme of the project is never in any doubt.

Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday. (Board book. 1-3)