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Donuts!

Name: Donuts!
Author: Lea Redmond
ISBN: 978-1-7972-1082-7

From the Made With Love series

by Lea Redmond ; illustrated by Flora Waycott ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 2021

A flavorsome option to develop tactile and associative memory skills in small children.

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In this second installment of the Made With Love series, golden brown donuts, fresh out of the oven, are dressed with different toppings.

Each circular page of the book shows a different donut as seen from a bird’s-eye view, and little ones are invited to guess the flavor of each topping. Simple, one-sentence hints in a chocolate-brown font on the verso page offer clues such as “this flavor begins as tree sap!” and “the next one contains citrus and tiny seeds.” Visual cues on the pastries offer hints as well: a blueberry-glazed donut is decorated with berries; a maple-glazed donut is adorned with small maple leaves; and a lemon poppy seed–glazed donut is adorned with poppy seeds as well as a lemon wedge. Little ones must turn the donut-shaped pages to reveal the name of the flavor. The pattern continues until the unseen narrator asks what ingredient all of the donuts have in common; the sweet answer to this question is the icing on the cake, ahem, donut. While donut-loving toddlers might appreciate the appetizing, watercolor illustrations and the novelty aspects of the book, they may need adult help to guess some of the flavors, particularly pumpkin spice since the only clues are a cinnamon stick and cloves. The book has die-cut holes at the center that little hands can use to turn the pages; however, it may not stand up to robust play due to the very narrow binding.

A flavorsome option to develop tactile and associative memory skills in small children. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-7972-1082-7

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE MADE 32 MISTAKES
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
POUT-POUT FISH
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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LLAMA LLAMA SHAPES

From the Learning With Llama Llama series

developed by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by JT Morrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023

An invitation for readers to learn through observation.

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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)