There’s a lot of learning packed into this little book, making it adaptable to many settings
A curious fox and an ensemble of animals speculate about what is inside a festive box.
White backgrounds on every page provide a focusing contrast to the colorful animals and the mysterious blue gift box. Illustrations are mixed media with hints of texture—a snake is filled in with what appears to be a blue, cable-knit sweater, while a peacock is composed of a photo patchwork of realistic feathers. Each spread introduces an animal, who guesses at the box’s contents or utters a playful phrase, with some text set in a color that matches the animal’s. Rhyming language introduces social-emotional concepts such as “nervous,” “grumpy,” and “proud.” These vocabulary words are emphasized by sharing the texture used in creating the animal. Cartoony facial expressions on the animals might seem engaging to some but contradictory to others. For example, the slightly uneven pop eyes and resulting expressions of the “rude” giraffe and “cheerful” duck are incredibly similar. Before the box is finally opened, a wordless verso focuses readers’ attention on the box on recto, the only visual, and builds anticipation. Quick gratification is delivered: “ ‘It’s a cake!’ said the delighted snake.” The whole crew of animals gathers around in an unnamed celebration—making this book appropriate for discussing myriad milestones with children.
There’s a lot of learning packed into this little book, making it adaptable to many settings . (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-61067-783-7
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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