A cute infant-scientist offering that’s better tuned to its audience than many of its ilk.
Toddlers learn about some of the aspects of being an astronaut.
Dressed in a jaunty red spacesuit and sporting two cute ponytails on either side of her round face, Baby Astronaut is ready for liftoff. Accompanying her on the space shuttle is a little owl. Once in space Baby Astronaut can see the moon, stars, Mars, Venus, and Earth. She also conducts some experiments: “Can plants grow in space? Yes! / Can ants live in space? Yes!” Young readers are also introduced to the concept of gravity at a very simple level. In companion title Baby Oceanographer, a baby with just a wisp of a brown curl dons a wetsuit and flippers to explore the ocean. This baby’s sidekick is a very expressive little red crab. Once in the ocean, Baby encounters a dolphin, an octopus, other marine life, and even a volcano. Readers are also introduced to waves and salinity: “Baby Oceanographer tests ocean water and fresh water. / Ocean water has salt. Fresh water has no salt.” Baby Astronaut has olive skin and black hair, and Baby Oceanographer presents white. The concepts in both books are presented simply, and the illustrations are uncluttered and engaging; such details as a mohawked comet and a yellow submersible add humor.
A cute infant-scientist offering that’s better tuned to its audience than many of its ilk. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-284134-6
Page Count: 22
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
A gentle outing for children who are ready for stories of everyday life rather than just objects to name.
A brief rhyming board book for toddlers.
Spurr's earlier board books (In the Garden and At the Beach, both 2012; In the Woods, 2013) featured an adventuresome little boy. Her new slice-of-life story stars an equally joyful little girl who takes pleasure in flying a new kite while not venturing far off the walkway. Oliphant's expressive and light-filled watercolors clearly depict the child's emotions—eager excitement on the way to the park, delight at the kite's flight in the wind, shock when the kite breaks free, dejection, and finally relief and amazement. The rhymes work, though uneven syllable counts in some stanzas interrupt the smooth flow of the verse. The illustrations depict the child with her mass of windblown curls, brown skin, and pronounced facial features as African-American. Her guardian (presumably her mother) is also brown-skinned. It is refreshing to see an African-American family settled comfortably in a suburban setting with single-family homes and a park where the family dog does not need to be leashed.
A gentle outing for children who are ready for stories of everyday life rather than just objects to name. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-56145-854-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
A wholesome and gentle story that's pleasant and soothing for little ones of all faiths, though it will have extra resonance...
The wonder of the natural world becomes more meaningful through active engagement with it.
A young family’s camping vacation makes two significant overnight stops, one at the seaside and one further inland in a lush green field. As parents set up tents, brother and sister feel the hot sand, marvel at the wide waves, breathe in the salty air and hear the wind’s English/Hebrew whisper of “good night, laila tov.” Similarly, while parents plant new tree seedlings in the field, children gather berries, are awed by field mice, surprised by bees and ultimately fall asleep to the rhythmic pattern of rain that mimics the “good night, laila tov” message. Bright, often full double-page scenes in deeply rich, opaque hues on textured paper bring out the natural essence of this sweet bedtime piece told in lilting rhyme. “We drove out to the oceanside. / The sand was hot. The waves were wide. / Tall grasses swayed. The salty air / Was soft and still and everywhere.” The continual assurance of its repetitive refrain, found on every other page, complements the theme of caring for nature’s beauty. Though the Judaic concept of tikkun olam, or repairing the world, is not explicitly stated within the text, it pervades the whole.
A wholesome and gentle story that's pleasant and soothing for little ones of all faiths, though it will have extra resonance in Jewish households. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-375-86868-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2011
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