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SHOW-AND-TELL

Name: SHOW-AND-TELL
Author: Mike Berenstain
ISBN: 978-0-06-235031-2

From the Berenstain Bears series

by Mike Berenstain & illustrated by Mike Berenstain ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2017

Although the message that newer is not always better will be welcome with caregivers, it’s unlikely this book will change...

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When show-and-tell becomes all about the latest gadgets and newest stuff, Sister and Brother come up with an item for Sister to present that breaks the consumerist mold.

It all starts with a cellphone. After that particular day’s show-and-tell, all the cubs go home and beg for one of their own. Some parents give in. Some do not. On the next scheduled day, Sister brings in her Bearbie doll, but before it’s her turn, a friend presents the new Fit-and-Trim Super-Exercise Bearbie, and suddenly Sister’s Bearbie looks plain and boring. On the way home, Brother helps a glum Sister think of a solution, and the two raid the attic; the perfect thing turns out to be old, interactive, but non-electronic: a Twirl-a-Hoop (readers will know it as a hula hoop). It is a huge hit at the next show-and-tell, and not just among the students: Teacher Jane and Principal Honeycomb even take turns. Unfortunately, the tale ends there, and readers will never find out if Sister has changed the show-off nature of her class’ show-and-tell presentations. And while Sister and Brother’s mission is an admirable one, it’s rather unlike children of their ages. The look of Berenstain’s illustrations fits seamlessly with earlier series entries by his parents.

Although the message that newer is not always better will be welcome with caregivers, it’s unlikely this book will change any children’s minds about trying to top their classmates’ latest and greatest gadgets. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 2, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-06-235031-2

Page Count: 24

Publisher: HarperFestival

Review Posted Online: May 14, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
FAMILY
by Mike Berenstain ; illustrated by Mike Berenstain

- BOOK REVIEW
JUST GRIN AND BEAR IT!
by Mike Berenstain ; illustrated by Mike Berenstain

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BERENSTAIN BEARS MOTHER'S DAY BLESSINGS
by Mike Berenstain ; illustrated by Mike Berenstain

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

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PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among

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Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.

If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)