Will give future readers a helping hand with their numbers, though the tactile element is a bit lacking.
A board book with a built-in abacus to help little ones learn to count from one to 10.
Each page uses a rhyming couplet to introduce a visual puzzle that requires tots to count items to figure out the answer: “Dogs have tails that wag a lot. / How many brown dogs can you spot?” “See the airplanes in the sky! / Count them as they fly so high.” The puzzles are easy and aren’t out to trick readers—in the first set, there’s only one dog on the page, and in the second, there are only two airplanes and no other flying craft. Ten colorful wooden beads run along a rainbow-shaped arch that floats above the page, and readers are periodically reminded to “slide the beads to help you count!” It’s an amusing and attractive feature, but the arch is not very long, which means the beads slide back easily. When the book is held up, only six of the 10 beads will stay on one side; the other four continually slip back to their home position. It’s an unfortunate design flaw, although the book works properly when laid flat on a table or the floor. That issue aside, the book’s illustrations are appealing and work well with the text.
Will give future readers a helping hand with their numbers, though the tactile element is a bit lacking. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-68010-686-2
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An invitation for readers to learn through observation.
Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.
Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-46509-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
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