Though there’s no real resolution, the concept of pure fun will surely resonate.
Envy on the farm has animals wishing they could each behave and speak like the other—with inane results.
The cow in the barn observes the horse in the field and thinks, “If I were a horse, I could run free all day.” To emphasize his desire, he lets out a “NEIGH!” (Yes, this cow is gendered male.) The horse, on the other hand, looks at the duck swimming in the pond and laments, “If I were a duck, bet they’d stay off my back.” With that, a “QUACK” bolsters his view. In turn, the duck longs for a winter coat like the sheep, the sheep wants to dig in the mud like the pig, the pig wants to be tough like the guard dog, the dog wants to be inside like the cat, and the cat longs to be a man like the farmer. Each makes the iconic sound of the animal he wishes to be, creating a cacophony of mixed-up noises. After the cat says “Hello,” the surprised farmer decides to join in the fun and produces “a big…MOOOOOO!” Bright paintings in an expressive animated style add to the humor of the rhyming narrative. Preschoolers will surely giggle at the erroneous sounds coming out of each animal and perhaps suppress an urge to correct. The farmer presents white.
Though there’s no real resolution, the concept of pure fun will surely resonate. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4003-1171-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
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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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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