Winsome glimpses of the natural world throughout the year.
A look at animals in their various habitats throughout the seasons.
This book of haiku subtly draws readers’ attention to the action on each page, starting with the coldest season: “in white winter coats / long-eared friends play hide-and-seek / moon says, ‘I see you!’ ” The accompanying image shows hares frolicking in the moonlight. The story slowly shifts between seasons, from winter’s snow to the rain of spring to warm, breezy summer to, finally, autumnal leaves. Readers meet playful otters, a sea turtle laying eggs, squirrels searching for acorns, and more; along the way, a pair of mice can be seen interacting with the different animals. The haiku are lovely read-alouds, full of alliteration and descriptive language and imagery. The thoughtfulness of the writing sets this one apart. The palette shifts to mark each change, the final layout a gorgeous blend of nighttime blues and purples. Each lift of the flap creates a peekaboo effect revealing a surprise animal to readers, the haiku a clue about what’s beneath. The animals are charming without being overly cartoonish or anthropomorphized. This is a title both caregivers and children will enjoy revisiting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Winsome glimpses of the natural world throughout the year. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-646-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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