For peekaboo fans ready for a lift-the-flap book.
Seven flaps hide seven friends.
Sharply outfitted anthropomorphic animals play a game of hide-and-seek. Riley the narwhal has a red-striped T-shirt. Elijah the elephant wears glasses and a tie. Gabriel the giraffe sports a bow tie with a windowpane plaid shirt. Mia, the purple monkey dancing on a bed in a red-and-white skirt, and Layla, the llama sleeping under a bed, are the only “friends” with stereotypically female names. (Some readers will be dismayed to see yet another anthropomorphic monkey in a children’s book.) The red fox, Mateo, wears a pearl necklace. Paisley the octopus wears a hat and apron. Children familiar with earlier books in the Beginning Baby series (Welcome to Shape School!; Smile Baby!; and 10 Hugs and Kisses, all published in 2021) may remember these characters, but they will not have achieved celebrity status for most youngsters. A visible bit of tail, ear, paw, hoof, or tentacle hints at where to find the half-circle cutouts to lift the large flaps built into these pages. Small fingers may have difficulty with this fine-motor skill. Detailed domestic scenes offer clues about what each animal was doing before hiding. Objects shown are not labeled. In fact, after a three-sentence explanation of the game, the only text is a verbal cue (“Who is under…?”). The friends are together again on the final spread with an invitation: “Let’s play again soon.”
For peekaboo fans ready for a lift-the-flap book. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7972-0369-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
