Tender and charming.
Thomas makes a cozy cave that attracts a small bear.
Creative and clever, Thomas uses pillows, blankets, and seat cushions for his living room hideaway. But he needs a few more items to make it perfect. When he returns to the cave, he hears bumps and thumps and discovers a bear has taken up residence. He leaves a trail of blueberries to entice the bear to leave, and it works—temporarily. Thomas tries everything he can think of that might appeal to a bear to lure it away for good. A back scratcher, some bath toys, and some honey cereal all produce the same temporary results. When Thomas manages to get into the cave to read, the bear can’t squeeze in and starts to cry. Kind Thomas takes pity, builds a larger cave, and shares it with the bear, who readers finally see is actually his adoring little brother. Pinder employs accessible, descriptive language to lead Thomas to his generous conclusion, without becoming preachy or cloying. Young readers may be surprised at the identity of the bear, but there are several visual hints and lots of delightful details to be found in Graegin’s illustrations. Glowing shades of yellow, blue, and bear-brown on a soft, light sepia background surround satisfyingly legible text. At the conclusion, little ones are given simple instructions for building their own caves.
Tender and charming. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-374-30019-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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