Something funny is afoot on the farm, but mom doesn’t have time to listen in this pleasing pastoral romp. Previously teamed in The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (1986), collaborators Williams and Lloyd capture all the frantic activity with a humorous juxtaposition of words and images. “Heeey, Ma,” says the girl. “Horse is in the pigpen, rollin’ in the slop.” The horse dominates the opening spread; in the background, displaced pigs trample the chicken wire that guards the hen house. “Tell it to the pigs, dear. It’s time for me to mop,” is mom’s only response. Vignettes show the girl trying to figure out what to do. Following her mother’s advice, she discovers that the “hens are in the doghouse, gnawin’ on a bone.” The pattern repeats throughout as the girl bears witness to a series of strange occurrences. It’s only when the girl threatens to spend the night in the barn (because “Daisy” the cow is asleep in her bed) that mom responds. “Heeey, NO! Go and fetch the broom now! I’ll straighten up this farm.” In the first of three wordless double-paged spreads, Ma sweeps Daisy out with a flourish. The cow lands in the corner of the next spread, setting off a chain reaction that ends with the horse galloping off the page. Finally, all the animals are in their place as night falls on the farm. The rhythm and repetition of Williams’s text make this an enjoyable read-aloud; cleverly detailed and often outlandish illustrations make it a visual treat. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: April 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-06-028547-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2002
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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