It’s a big world out there; this book and its companion are charming ways to celebrate it.
Little ones are introduced to the sights and attractions of San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador.
Lively, child-friendly illustrations take children on a tour of the city. It starts at the nearby Boquerón volcano, then proceeds on to the botanical garden of La Laguna, the Central Market and the plaza of Masferrer, and the important monuments, such as the monument to the revolution and the monument to the Divino Salvador del Mundo (the Divine Savior of the World), from whom the country takes its name. Each sight is named by its Spanish name and is accompanied by a simple statement in English followed by the Spanish translation. Sometimes the Spanish translation is the same as the English statement, sometimes not, but the sentiment is the same. The book ends with a few thumbnails providing a little more information in English only. Companion title Vámonos a Havana introduces children to the capital city of Cuba and follows the same format and aesthetic. It is puzzling that, given the title of the book is in Spanish, the spelling chosen was the English one: Havana instead of Habana. Readers are presented with the iconic sights of a city that, for the time being at least, they will only get to know through books.
It’s a big world out there; this book and its companion are charming ways to celebrate it. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: March 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-19-47971-43-1
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Lil' Libros
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Adults wishing to expand the worldviews of their young charges beyond Eurocentric interpretations will find plenty of visual...
A retelling of the classic fairy tale with India as its setting.
This latest addition to the Once Upon A World series tells the well-known story of the maiden with beautiful long tresses locked away in a tower by an evil witch and the prince who falls in love with her. As with Perkins’ Cinderella (illustrated by Sandra Equihua, 2016) and Snow White (illustrated by Misa Saburi, 2016), the text has been simplified for a younger audience, and the distinguishing twist here is its setting in India. The mixed-media illustrations of plants, animals, village life, and, of course, Rapunzel, the witch, and the prince come alive in warm, saturated colors. Other than the visuals, there is little to differentiate the story from traditional tellings. As always, it is still the prince who will eventually lead Rapunzel to her salvation by taking her to his kingdom far away from the witch, but that is the nature of fairy tales. The only quibble with this book and indeed with this series is the board-book format. Given the fact that the audience most likely to enjoy it is beyond the board-book age, a full-size book would have done more justice to the vibrant artwork.
Adults wishing to expand the worldviews of their young charges beyond Eurocentric interpretations will find plenty of visual delights in this one, though they’ll wish it were bigger. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-9072-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Like the little bear in Frank Asch’s Pizza (2015), toddlers will be left with an appetite for seconds. And thirds….
Following a stack of Pancakes! (2016), Nieminen dishes up ingredients and instructions for another tasty treat.
Equally suitable for real or imaginary kitchens, this recipe in board-book format begins with geometrically stylized representations of ingredients (“1 teaspoon of sugar,” for instance, is represented by a round-topped white triangle) and required bowls, measuring cups, and other gear. It then goes on to steps for mixing, kneading, and rising the dough, pre-cooking the crust, adding sauce (from a jar) and toppings, and baking until done. Labels and captions identify everything and explain each step in turn. Prospective chefs too young to do the actual cooking can pretend or follow along by using heavy-duty pull tabs to simulate pouring and mixing, then “knead” a smooth plastic pad, set the oven temperature with a geared wheel (and, prompts a safety note, an adult’s help, as “real ovens are hot!”), lift a flap to check the pie, and finally pull out a wedge-shaped slice when it’s finished. “Delicious!”
Like the little bear in Frank Asch’s Pizza (2015), toddlers will be left with an appetite for seconds. And thirds…. (Informational novelty. 2-4)Pub Date: May 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7409-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
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