Well intentioned, but this song doesn’t work in picture-book format.
Lyrics to a song from the album “Lullaby” are adapted by the composer/lyricist as a tender expression of maternal love.
Mother evokes everything that is lovely and ethereal to demonstrate her joy at having this baby in her life. There are moonbeams, twinkling stars and “endless blue skies.” All of this is to wish that only sweet dreams follow the child forever. There are some lovely images, and the emotions are heartfelt, but there is a major problem with construction and syntax in this adaptation. If the lyrics are to be read as poetry, they lack structure and consistency of rhyme and rhythm. “Like a dream I am falling into silver threads lined with dew” and “Each breath that you breathe is a brushstroke that leads me to you” are awkwardly worded and essentially meaningless statements. Bates’ chalk and gouache illustrations on chalkboard-painted paper are greatly appealing. Backgrounds of deep, dark night skies highlighted with bright yellow stars and constellations are filled with clever details that come as close as possible to conveying literal meaning to the vagaries of the text. Rather than reading aloud, adults might want to preview the song on the included CD and perhaps play the song and sing along while showing the pictures to their little ones.
Well intentioned, but this song doesn’t work in picture-book format. (Picture book. 1-4)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8931-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
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)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.
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
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