Enjoyable propaganda. (Board book. 1-2)
Baby Sam, a reluctant eater, finally takes a bite with the help of the spoon-as-airplane trick.
The book comes with a set of cardboard wings that adults can punch out of the back of the book and then fold around any adult-sized spoon to make it into an airplane. At the beginning of the book, Sam stubbornly sits with mouth shut tight in his high chair. Mom holds a wing-adorned spoon, promising, “These yummy green beans will make you big as an elephant!” Across the gutter, Sam’s father casts an elephant-shaped shadow on the wall. The pattern repeats with other foodstuffs and animals. When his parents have given up all hope, Sam proudly grabs the airplane spoon and shovels in a mound of grub. Burks’ retro cartoons in a muted color palette look hip, and the expressions of the various family members will be clear and accessible to little ones. While the cardboard-plane spoon is a very clever idea and it is relatively easy to construct, it will be difficult for toddlers to grasp on their own as depicted and will likely not survive very many repeat “landings” (the instructions recommend using the original as a pattern to trace and cut out a replacement). Since many parents may want to share this title at meal times, a sturdier, washable material would have been a better choice for this project.
Enjoyable propaganda. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-53368-3
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
As bright and bold as the holiday it celebrates.
An excited little one celebrates Easter.
The Easter Bunny is on its way, and Patricelli’s one-haired tot is thrilled. He prepares for the holiday by painting eggs and making bunny ears. On the big day, he excitedly looks for Easter eggs while his parents watch. The bold, rounded illustrations catch the eye, with a wide range of colors used throughout. The author pays a little lip service toward education by showing primary colors combining to create secondary colors, but the book's main focus is the exuberance that comes with celebrating the holiday, particularly when the traditions are so new and exciting. The enthusiasm is infectious, and read-alouds will most likely lead to little ones’ looking to do some arts and crafts of their very own.
As bright and bold as the holiday it celebrates. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6319-3
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
A serviceable but uninspired salute to parenthood.
A variety of little ones express love for their dads.
All the wonderful things dads do are the focus of this simple board book. Each turn of the page presents a nature shot of a fully grown animal with its young accompanied by a reason fathers are “dynamite!” While they are all good reasons, they don’t always make sense with the pictures they’re paired with. An elephant “defends me from bad guys” while standing over its child protectively, but it’s hard to figure out how a lion “laughs at all my 'knock-knock' jokes.” In the latter picture, a cub nuzzles its father’s face; there’s nothing to imply either laughter or the telling of jokes. Animal lovers will enjoy pictures of chameleons, penguins, turtles, and other creatures, but that's the only thing in the book's corner. A concurrently published companion, My Marvelous Mom, is presented in the same fashion, with the only difference being the obvious one. For readers looking for something to prime the pump for Mother's or Father's Day these will do in a pinch, but they will both be quickly forgotten.
A serviceable but uninspired salute to parenthood. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1875-2
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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