For settings that really, really need another first-words book.
A brief introduction to items in a baby’s world, with simple, tactile effects.
Appealing to a baby’s sense of touch, this basic board book showcases 10 words that would largely be familiar in a little one’s world. Each two-page spread displays connected words and concepts. The opening layout of embossed pairs of “socks” and “shoes,” for example, describes them as “striped” and “spotted,” respectively. The images are bold and large, taking up nearly the entire page without busy or distracting backgrounds, making for easy viewing and touching. The textures are a nice addition to the illustrations, especially for little hands primed to touch and explore. The “leaf” has raised water droplets on its “green” surface that are particularly effective. The page featuring a smiling “spoon” says, oddly, “Let’s make a smiley face!” whereas all of the other images are accompanied by more logical glosses or engaging questions. The final two pages show all of the images together, providing caregivers an opportunity to make connections or to simply review words with their children. Companion title Baby’s First Baby Animals follows a similar structure, introducing 10 baby animals with tactile images and a recap layout at the end. By contrast, however, these two-page spreads don’t feature the same cohesion of description or inviting questions. Overall, Words stands out over Baby Animals for its integrity of layout, though neither does anything earth-shatteringly different from myriad board books about firsts for baby.
For settings that really, really need another first-words book. (Board book. 6-18 mos.)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4654-6365-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer.
Rotner follows up her celebrations of spring and autumn with this look at all things winter.
Beginning with the signs that winter is coming—bare trees, shorter days, colder temperatures—Rotner eases readers into the season. People light fires and sing songs on the solstice, trees and plants stop growing, and shadows grow long. Ice starts to form on bodies of water and windows. When the snow flies, the fun begins—bundle up and then build forts, make snowballs and snowmen (with eyebrows!), sled, ski (nordic is pictured), skate, snowshoe, snowboard, drink hot chocolate. Animals adapt to the cold as well. “Birds grow more feathers” (there’s nothing about fluffing and air insulation) and mammals, more hair. They have to search for food, and Rotner discusses how many make or find shelter, slow down, hibernate, or go underground or underwater to stay warm. One page talks about celebrating holidays with lights and decorations. The photos show a lit menorah, an outdoor deciduous tree covered in huge Christmas bulbs, a girl next to a Chinese dragon head, a boy with lit luminarias, and some fireworks. The final spread shows signs of the season’s shift to spring. Rotner’s photos, as always, are a big draw. The children are a marvelous mix of cultures and races, and all show their clear delight with winter.
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3976-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
A good choice for a late fall storytime.
Animal behaviors change as they prepare to face the winter.
Migrate, hibernate, or tolerate. With smooth rhymes and jaunty illustrations, Salas and Gévry introduce three strategies animals use for coping with winter cold. The author’s long experience in imparting information to young readers is evident in her selection of familiar animals and in her presentation. Spread by spread she introduces her examples, preparing in fall and surviving in winter. She describes two types of migration: Hummingbirds and monarchs fly, and blue whales travel to the warmth of the south; earthworms burrow deeper into the earth. Without using technical words, she introduces four forms of hibernation—chipmunks nap and snack; bears mainly sleep; Northern wood frogs become an “icy pop,” frozen until spring; and normally solitary garter snakes snuggle together in huge masses. Those who can tolerate the winter still change behavior. Mice store food and travel in tunnels under the snow; moose grow a warmer kind of fur; the red fox dives into the snow to catch small mammals (like those mice); and humans put on warm clothes and play. The animals in the soft pastel illustrations are recognizable, more cuddly than realistic, and quite appealing; their habitats are stylized. The humans represent varied ethnicities. Each page includes two levels of text, and there’s further information in the extensive backmatter. Pair with Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen’s Winter Bees (2014).
A good choice for a late fall storytime. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-2900-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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