PEEKITY BOO—WHAT YOU CAN DO!

Name: PEEKITY BOO—WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Author: Heidi Bee Roemer
ISBN: 978-1-250-12232-2

by Heidi Bee Roemer ; illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2019

A calm, quiet book that children will find delightful, enjoying the repetition and seeing themselves through the eyes of a...

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This rhyming picture book follows a family through their toddler’s bedtime routine.

As caregivers know, the bedtime routine is the cornerstone of a toddler’s day’s end. It is time for bath and books and snuggles and, of course, a little fun with mom and dad. Silly nonsense phrases such as “Blibbity blub” and “Buggity boo!” will make small kids laugh and have them repeating the words. They also ensure that the rhyme proceeds in sprightly fashion; though not all the couplets include them, they ward against forced rhymes, as does the author’s decision to employ assonance on occasion: “There are ears to nuzzle. / Towel to snuggle.” Wohnoutka’s brightly colored illustrations, done in acrylic gouache and showing both mom and dad participating in different bedtime tasks, are sweet and recognizable for kids and will help them embrace their own bedtime activities. While none of this reinvents the wheel, that’s not really the point; the familiarity will strike chords in readers, who will thoroughly enjoy knowing the protagonist is going through the same loving routine that they are. The dad presents white and the mom has brown skin and wavy black hair, making this a mirror for a lot of interracial families.

A calm, quiet book that children will find delightful, enjoying the repetition and seeing themselves through the eyes of a book. (Picture book. 2-5)

Pub Date: March 19, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-12232-2

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

- BOOK REVIEW
HIDE-AND-SEEK AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE
by Heidi Bee Roemer ; illustrated by Jannie Ho

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PEPPA'S GIANT PUMPKIN

From the Peppa Pig series

by Samantha Lizzio ; illustrated by eOne ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2019

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.

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Peppa hopes to join her classmates in a Halloween pumpkin competition in this adaptation of a story from the popular British television program Peppa Pig.

With the help of Granny and Grandpa Pig, Peppa turns her giant pumpkin, which is the size of a compact car, into a jack-o’-lantern. The trio is flummoxed when it comes time to transport the pumpkin to the competition, so they call on Miss Rabbit and her helicopter to airlift the pumpkin to the festivities as Peppa and her grandparents ride inside. Peppa arrives just in time for the contest and wins the prize for best flying pumpkin. The scenes look as if they are pulled directly from the television show, right down to the rectangular framing of some of the scenes. While the story is literally nothing new, the text is serviceable, describing the action in two to three sentences per page. The pumpkin-shaped book and orange foil cover will likely attract youngsters, whether they are Peppa fans or not.

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: July 30, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-33922-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019

Categories:

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

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I AM A BIG BROTHER

by Caroline Jayne Church ; illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 27, 2015

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...

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A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.

Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)