Parents expecting to introduce tots to classic myths will be disappointed, but the life lessons the source material inspires...
Pandora, a curious, modern-day tyke, is forbidden by her mother to open a certain box in this tale loosely based on the Greek myth.
She touches, leans, stands and bounces on the box, which, in kid logic, is not actually opening it. After one bounce too many, the box opens, and cupcakes explode all over the floor (luckily not plagues and other evils, but smashed cupcakes are equally upsetting). Pandora and her mother find one intact cupcake left in the box as the girl asks, “Do you still love me? I hope so.” Her mother answers in the affirmative, and they hug. While light on mythology, Pandora’s encounter with the box is remarkably entertaining, and youngsters will relate to the glee she takes in bending the rules. Patricelli captures Pandora’s chutzpah in delightful painted cartoons in rich colors, while Holub contributes only one or two lines of text per page. The companion title, Play, Nice Hercules, is an even looser interpretation of the 12 labors of Hercules, but little ones will identify with his impossible task of playing nice with his sister. A paragraph-long note appears on the back page of both titles relating the Pandora and Hercules myths in simple language, but this will likely go over the heads of most toddlers.
Parents expecting to introduce tots to classic myths will be disappointed, but the life lessons the source material inspires are spot-on. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0951-7
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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