A sugary confection that will keep children busy in the lead-up to Easter.
In this addition to the Count and Find series, readers are invited to find objects related to Easter hidden in the illustrations.
A diverse group of characters count down the 10 days until Easter. Each double-page spread shows children involved in activities, some more closely associated with the holiday than others: “10 days until Easter and we decorate our Easter tree.” “6 days until Easter and we have a picnic at the park.” Readers are invited to find 10 bunny rabbits, nine bumblebees, eight carrot-shaped cookies, and so on until the day before Easter, when children must find one Easter Bunny. For the spread labeled “3 days until Easter and we go to an Egg Roll,” the illustration appears to depict the White House, which does indeed traditionally hold an Easter Egg Roll. The vivid, candy-colored cartoon illustrations are quite busy, but children should have no difficulty finding the concealed objects and will enjoy the search. Adults wanting to introduce little ones to the holiday may want to supplement this with other resources. The illustrations include a child who uses a wheelchair, several wearing eyeglasses, and one who uses a hearing aid. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sugary confection that will keep children busy in the lead-up to Easter. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-4236-6348-5
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
While this is not an essential purchase, most little pumpkins will love being told, “Baby, I'm batty for you!” (Board book....
Young children won't understand the metaphors but will appreciate the sentiment made clear by the repeated, Halloween-themed declarations of love in Wan's latest board book.
Each of the seven spreads presents an endearment illustrated by an object drawn with heavy outlines and just enough detail to invoke its essential characteristics. Lest it become too maudlin, between the “sugary, sweet candy corn” and a “purr-fect, cuddly kitty” is a “wild, messy monster.” Wan manages to make each drawing expressive and distinctive while relying on just a few shapes—crescents or circles for eyes, dots or ovals accenting cheeks. Although each spread stands alone, there are quiet connections. For example, the orange of the pumpkin is repeated in the candy corn, and the purple that adorns kitty's hat and bow becomes the prominent color on the next spread, setting off the friendly white ghost nicely. The same purple is used for the spider's body on the next to last spread. Subtle, shadowed backgrounds repeat the patterns found elsewhere in the book. For example, the background of the page with the kitty includes pumpkins, hearts, and hats and bows like the ones kitty is wearing.
While this is not an essential purchase, most little pumpkins will love being told, “Baby, I'm batty for you!” (Board book. 6 mos.-3)Pub Date: June 28, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-88092-3
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
This holiday ditty misses too many beats.
The traditional story of the first Thanksgiving is set to the tune of “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” and stars rodents instead of humans.
The titular itsy-bitsy Pilgrim, a mouse dressed in iconic Puritan garb, sails to “a home that’s new” with three other mice on the Mayflower. They build a house, shovel snow, and greet some “itsy bitsy new friends,” who are chipmunks dressed as Native Americans complete with feathered headbands, beaded necklaces, and leather clothing. While Rescek’s art is droll and lively, it is wildly idealized, and the Native Americans’ clothing does not reflect what is understood of Wampanoag attire. The companion title, The Itsy Bitsy Reindeer, presents equally buoyant scenes. The reindeer and several elves, who appear to be white children with pointed ears, help Santa (also white) prepare for his annual sleigh-ride delivery. In both books, would-be singers may struggle to fit all the words and syllables into the meter, and a couple of rhymes are extremely forced (“shop” and “job”?).
This holiday ditty misses too many beats. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6852-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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