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THIS LITTLE PIGGY

Name: THIS LITTLE PIGGY
Author: Genine Delahaye
ISBN: 978-1-68010-536-0

illustrated by Genine Delahaye ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2018

Perhaps not inspired, but durable and instructive.

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A sturdy and serviceable collection of rhymes and songs for toddlers.

Nursery rhymes, with their regular meter and repetitive sounds, are useful tools that expand toddlers’ vocabularies and, eventually, help them begin to match up memorized lines with printed words on the page. This introductory volume of verses includes a mix of old standards—“Humpty Dumpty,” “Jack and Jill,” and “This Little Piggy,” for example—alongside such popular children’s songs as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” and “The Wheels on the Bus.” “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” is on hand to teach children to count from one to 10. The artwork is simple and easily grasped by young readers; it is, therefore, also somewhat plain and lacking in detail. Rather than presenting each rhyme with distinct characters and scenarios, the book is peopled with friendly-looking animals who appear and reappear throughout its pages. This is not to say that the drawings lack personality. Humpty Dumpty manages to smile despite his freshly cracked skull, for example, and a turtle nurse slowly rushes to bandage Jack’s broken crown as Jill tumbles downhill, water spilling in all directions. Little Bo Peep’s sheep peer out from preposterously ineffective hiding places. The thick cover is ideal for little hands to grip, and the stiff cardboard pages should be tough to damage.

Perhaps not inspired, but durable and instructive. (Board book. 1-5)

Pub Date: March 1, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-68010-536-0

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK
edited by Tiger Tales ; illustrated by Genine Delahaye

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TEENY TINY GHOST

by Rachel Matson ; illustrated by Joey Chou ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2019

A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S POETRY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
TEENY TINY SANTA
by Rachel Matson ; illustrated by Joey Chou

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THE ITSY BITSY BUNNY

by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Sanja Rešček ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 2016

Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.

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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)