The small size and detail-oriented pictures suit this sweet fabric bonbon to one-on-one sharing.
This diminutive board book of garden-themed nursery rhymes is illustrated with sewn fabric scenes.
Seven traditional nursery rhymes set in the garden are featured here, one to a spread. They range from well-known verses such as “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” and “Lavender Blue” to more obscure ones, like “Daffodil Song” and “I Had a Little Cherry Stone.” Beaton’s signature fabric illustrations are clearly meant to take center stage here. Each one is a scene carefully stitched and brought to life with small pieces of cloth and thread, lending them the old-fashioned charm of a sampler or quilt. Beaton’s style fits well with the traditional nursery-rhyme content, and adults will appreciate the creativity, skill and effort involved here. Little ones, on the other hand, may be less impressed by the illustrations—which are rather muted in comparison to the high-contrast lines and bold art that bring to life many of today’s board books—although they will certainly enjoy the rhythm and sounds of the selected verses. Beaton’s Animal Rhymes collects seven animal-related nursery rhymes with illustrations in the same distinctive style.
The small size and detail-oriented pictures suit this sweet fabric bonbon to one-on-one sharing. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: April 30, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-78285-081-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween.
This board book twists the traditional “Teeny Tiny” tale into a less-scary Halloween treat.
This version uses a singsong-y rhythm and cadence to tell the story. “In the teeny tiny barn / Of a teeny tiny house... / Lived a teeny tiny ghost / and a teeny tiny mouse.” Of course the ghost (being teeny tiny) is not very frightening. “But the determined little ghost / Let her mighty courage through / And with a teeny tiny breath / She said a teeny tiny: boo.” Spoiler alert: After just seven page turns the ghost and mouse become friends: “And now the teeny tinies play / In the teeny tiny house. / Just a teeny tiny ghost / And her best friend, mouse.” Pumpkins decorate the cover and final spread and illustrations throughout are in autumnal hues. The fairly high-for-the-format word count—19 to 21 words per page—may be more than toddlers will sit still for, but the “teeny tiny” repetition and rhymes will help. The size (just 6 inches square) makes using the book with a group a challenge, but with a lap-sitting child, it’ll be a pleasure.
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-31848-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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