An active introduction to an important concept.
An interactive board book with ambitious educational goals for toddlers introduces five basic shapes with textures, a slider, and flaps, plus sturdy tabbed pages to make page turning easy for little fingers.
Each shape is simply reproduced and named on the left, then shown as part of something else on the right. The triangle becomes the “bright, sparkly roof” of a birdhouse, the rectangle becomes the “door to a cozy home,” and so on. On most pages, an animal prompts interaction. The birds say, “Can you sing? Tweet! Tweet! Tweet”; the dog in the square, corrugated doghouse says, “Bark like me!” However, active toddlers may not make it to the dog, as the squirrel revealed by a slider hidden in a circular hiding spot in the prior double-page spread asks, “Can you run really fast?” When they do arrive at the final spread, all the shapes and animals are repeated in a cheery scene, and a final question—“What's your favorite shape?”—invites a conversation. The claim on the back cover that the “on-the-go handle gives young readers a sense of ownership and independence” may be a bit of hyperbole, but parents eager to give their toddlers a head start on learning will find this an age-appropriate choice.
An active introduction to an important concept. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-79791-7
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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