Sweet, unpretentious, and, of course, more fun together.
Good times are best shared with friends in this board book that offers more than meets the eye.
Five friendly animals and one little boy celebrate the joys of companionship in this durable board book with sliding pages that extend to reveal a bigger picture. Each page of text offers a greeting to the happy creature on the facing page and inquires, “Are you all alone?” or some variation of that question. “Not today. Take a look,” comes the uniform answer, followed by an explanation of which unseen companions are brightening each character’s day. With an easy pull, the picture page slides out; where there had been an image of a single bear lying on the grass, a second bear now snuggles against it. When the sliding page is turned, the process is repeated, as the picture on the backside also extends to reveal hidden companions, described on the following facing page. The artwork is simple, but the happy characters that populate the brightly colored pages of this book have undeniable appeal. This Dutch import’s extendable pages are sturdy and well-constructed; they appear less apt to tear than the gatefolded or flapped pages often seen in board books. The Q-and-A format of the text invites call and response participation from children, and the hidden characters will delight every young peekaboo enthusiast.
Sweet, unpretentious, and, of course, more fun together. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: April 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-60537-382-9
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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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
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