This is fine for a baby shower but unsuitable for institutional settings, where the full-size versions would be a better...
Four mini board books packaged in a box with four peek-through windows are actually just smaller reprints of individual titles in the My First series, originally published in 2015.
Shapes, counting, colors, and words are introduced with just five page turns in these 3-inch-square books. The spreads are uncluttered, most with just one image per page. In My First 123, a numeral and a corresponding number of foil dots occupy the verso, while objects to count are arranged on the recto. With just five spreads, the count ends with 5. My First Shapes follows the same format. A decorative star and heart are included instead of the more-common rectangle or oval. My First Colors includes most of the eight basic crayon colors but substitutes pink for black. The final spread repeats all eight colors. The choice of 10 words included in My First Words seems arbitrary: sun, car, ball, dog, cake, boat, cup, bird, bee, flower. Why not moon? cat? truck? All the images in these tiny volumes are reduced to their essences with bright graphics, patterns, and foil highlights.
This is fine for a baby shower but unsuitable for institutional settings, where the full-size versions would be a better value. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0327-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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