Short, simple, sweet—and more than likely to spur some similarly slobbery affection between parent and child.
Dewdrop the fairy is willing to give every forest creature a hug—except for Sloppy the tree dragon. What has Sloppy done?
His name provides a clue, but Julian holds off on a direct answer until the end. Until then, Sloppy’s repeated pleas (“Why not?”) only earn stern refusals from the light-skinned, dragonfly-winged fairy: “You know why not.” Looking less like a conventional dragon than a sort of winged kangaroo covered in leaves, Sloppy cuts a decidedly fetching figure throughout—but neither pretending to be sad nor bringing homely presents like flowers or a big rock moves the angry urchin. So pitiable is Sloppy that readers will be mystified on his behalf. At last Dewdrop relents after seeing the sulky dragon kindly return a fallen baby bird to its nest…and is thereupon reminded what caused the rift in the first place, as Sloppy follows their makeup hug with a big, ultraslobbery lick. “Yuck!” In addition to giving Sloppy and Dewdrop a comfortable-looking forest to share with many agreeable friends, Julian displays a wry sense of humor in both Sloppy’s expressive body language and his considerate translations of the little bird’s dialogue, rendering all-purpose “Tweet”s as both “Help!” and “Thank you, Sloppy!”
Short, simple, sweet—and more than likely to spur some similarly slobbery affection between parent and child. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4273-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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