An amusing, empowering story about conquering nighttime fears.
A young pup needs to use the bathroom, but someone’s already on the toilet!
Even though Jojo is scared of the ogre who comes out at night, a full bladder is keeping the little dog from sleeping. So, armed with a toy sword, Jojo opens the bathroom door and confronts the ogre, who turns out to have a tummy ache. The ogre likes Jojo’s bathroom because it has a light (unlike his own). The ogre needs to wash his hands in Jojo’s other bathroom (the first bathroom apparently lacks a sink), but he’s scared of the octopus who lives there, so Jojo accompanies him. That octopus is herself afraid of the crocodiles in the hall, and they in turn are terrified of the ogre. And Jojo still needs to pee! The bright colors and cute concept make this French import an appealing read for young children, who’ll be empowered to face the dark on their own trips to the bathroom at night. Jojo veers between resembling a dog and a kangaroo throughout, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense that the first “monster” Jojo encounters is a literal ogre while the rest are animals like Jojo. But the conclusion to the potty emergency will leave both Jojo and readers satisfied even if the penultimate joke falls a little flat. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An amusing, empowering story about conquering nighttime fears. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9781662640520
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hippo Park/Astra Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Simple words and big concepts will make this a godsend to parents at their wit's end.
This book seeks to use the power of persuasion to vanquish that most formidable of opponents: toddlers.
In this entry in the Big Kid Power series, a little black girl makes no bones about the fact that pacifiers (or “binkies”) are strictly baby territory. When she was little she needed one, but that was then. Whether she’s tired, sad, or hungry, there are other ways of being comforted: hugs and polite requests, for instance. After she gives her binky to a baby and bids it a very clear goodbye, the book ends with a triumphant, “I’M A BIG KID!” Using a striking color combination of orange, brown, and black, van Lieshout keeps her pages bold and bright, complementing the simple vocabulary. Such declarations as, “Do I still have a binky? // NO, BIG KIDS DON’T NEED A BINKY. / NOPE!” leave scant wiggle room for argument. In her author’s note at the end, van Lieshout says that after speaking to many parents about how they helped their kids bid their pacifiers adieu, “many of them had in common…a ritual of some sort.” The ritual here seems to be giving the pacifier away, though it may be missed by many readers. Companion title I Use the Potty uses a similar approach, with a proud, white boy as its guide.
Simple words and big concepts will make this a godsend to parents at their wit's end. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4521-3536-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Playing with your food is allowed (and encouraged!) here.
An interactive concept book relating to food, colors, and shapes for the preschool set.
When children open the book they will find four small books arranged as a square. The two on the left open to the left, the two on the right open to the right. When all four books are open it looks like a place setting, with a plate full of food. The books have illustrations of food with different shapes: circles (slices of kiwi, a bowl of guacamole) and triangles (a pizza slice, a watermelon wedge); different colors: red (kidney beans, red miso soup, tomatoes), yellow (corn bread, a taco, pineapple), green (peas, lettuce, edamame); and food types: fruits, vegetables, sushi, pizza, pasta. The book suggests some plate arrangements children can make: “Can you make a plate of only triangles or circles?” “Can you make a plate of only vegetables or fruits?” or “Can you make a plate of your favorite foods?” But the possibilities are many, and readers can come up with their own combinations—including matching the plate edges or the accompanying flatware. Adults can also use the book as a springboard for a playful conversation on food and nutrition.
Playing with your food is allowed (and encouraged!) here. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3907-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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