Dunrea has proven himself a master of child behavior (and waterfowl)—let’s hope the gaggle keeps growing. (Picture book. 2-5)
A new gosling joins Dunrea’s Gossie & Friends.
Gideon is a ruddy little goose who likes to play. All day. With boundless energy, he dashes, hops, scoots and scurries across the farmyard in search of adventure. In the piggery he plays chase-the-piglet. In the sheep house he bounces on the ewe. In a rare moment of stillness, he plays quietly with the turtle, gently looking, never moving. But Gideon can’t play all day. Mama Goose keeps interrupting his fun by calling for naptime. Gideon’s response is familiar to caregivers far and wide: “No nap! I’m playing!” A defiant naptime battle to be sure, but tiny Gideon also embodies a toddler’s insatiable curiosity. Why should he sleep when there’s so much to do and see? Familiar clean, white backdrops frame each scene, and Gideon’s wide-mouthed exuberance echoes his feathered friends from previous works. Gideon doesn’t show many signs of tiring, but the lumpy, striped octopus that he drags everywhere looks more bedraggled with each romp. Young readers will relate to Gideon’s assertion of control; adult readers will smile knowingly when he finally starts to snooze.
Dunrea has proven himself a master of child behavior (and waterfowl)—let’s hope the gaggle keeps growing. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-618-43661-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2012
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK REVIEW
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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