A fun way to practice naming objects in two languages.
Familiar objects identified in both English and Spanish expand toddlers’ and preschoolers’ bilingual vocabularies.
The first spread introduces eight characters, or personajes, mostly cartoon animals—a spider, an elephant, a bunny, a hen, three chicks (Nicky, Kiki, and Ricky), and Pin Pon, who looks human but is described as a “cardboard cutout/muñeco de cartón.” Nicky wears glasses, and Kiki sports a pink hair bow; Pin Pon has brown skin and a Troll-like tuft of orange hair. These cheery caricatures interact within 11 common settings or themes: nature, transportation, school, sports, music, beach, ocean, party, home, kitchen, and bedroom. At least seven and up to 11 objects typically found in each environment are named in both languages. English is always first, with the Spanish translation in a smaller, italicized type. As with most first-word books, the number of objects is somewhat daunting. The youngest board-book consumers may not sit still for more than a couple page turns, but the bright art, recurring characters, and familiar objects make picking up the activity again later fairly likely. The dual-language labels placed in proximity to the illustrations make it clear what item is being described. There is no pronunciation guide for non-native speakers in either language.
A fun way to practice naming objects in two languages. (Board book. 6 mos.-4)Pub Date: June 23, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-945635-29-8
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Encantos
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
A fun, utilitarian vocabulary builder that begs to be picked up and touched.
In the tradition of Pat the Bunny, this effort offers plenty of opportunity for tactile exploration.
Though it lacks the inventiveness, charm, and nontactile sensory provocations that make Pat the Bunny an enduring classic, this gives little hands plenty to grab, feel, touch, and experience. There are no “Paul and Judy” on hand to emulate, but the die-cut, fuzzy handprint in the middle of the thick, cardboard cover makes the book’s intent and methodology clear to its audience. So does the admonition, “Let’s Get Hands-on!” accompanying a photo of a little White child with fingers and palms covered in different colors of paint. The next page lists 10 different textures along with photographs of items that act as examples of each. Featured sensations are “fluffy, crinkly, smooth, bumpy, sticky, spongy, furry, rough, scratchy, [and] soft.” Each texture gets a two-page spread featuring several different items or creatures that feel that way and one large example with a die-cut hole and an embedded tactile element of the corresponding texture. The book features plenty of vocabulary, including three synonyms for each type of texture. There’s a descriptive sentence: “Fluffy things feel light and airy,” for example. Questions add an interactive element, inviting children to explore for themselves: “If you run your finger along something crinkly, what kind of noise does it make?”
A fun, utilitarian vocabulary builder that begs to be picked up and touched. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68010-656-5
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for a late fall storytime.
Animal behaviors change as they prepare to face the winter.
Migrate, hibernate, or tolerate. With smooth rhymes and jaunty illustrations, Salas and Gévry introduce three strategies animals use for coping with winter cold. The author’s long experience in imparting information to young readers is evident in her selection of familiar animals and in her presentation. Spread by spread she introduces her examples, preparing in fall and surviving in winter. She describes two types of migration: Hummingbirds and monarchs fly, and blue whales travel to the warmth of the south; earthworms burrow deeper into the earth. Without using technical words, she introduces four forms of hibernation—chipmunks nap and snack; bears mainly sleep; Northern wood frogs become an “icy pop,” frozen until spring; and normally solitary garter snakes snuggle together in huge masses. Those who can tolerate the winter still change behavior. Mice store food and travel in tunnels under the snow; moose grow a warmer kind of fur; the red fox dives into the snow to catch small mammals (like those mice); and humans put on warm clothes and play. The animals in the soft pastel illustrations are recognizable, more cuddly than realistic, and quite appealing; their habitats are stylized. The humans represent varied ethnicities. Each page includes two levels of text, and there’s further information in the extensive backmatter. Pair with Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen’s Winter Bees (2014).
A good choice for a late fall storytime. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-2900-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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