While not flawless learning experiences, both books are useful tools to promote language development thanks to clear photos...
Colorful photos and simple captions introduce babies and toddlers to their world.
Each double-page spread presents a setting that will be recognizable to little ones, such as the park, the zoo, the beach or “...My Party.” On the left-hand page, photos appear in colored panels, and on the right, the pictures float on a white background. Tabbed pages with small images offer hints as to what each spread reveals. Most of the objects prove iconic and give parents room to talk and engage with little ones at their own pace. In the companion title, Things to Learn (2013), readers are given specific tasks. Youngsters are invited to match objects of the same colors, animals to their sounds, baby animals to their full-grown versions and more. A couple of foibles mar the presentation: The spread devoted to counting is overly busy, and one or two of the shapes are inconsistently depicted. In both books, a few of the images on the covers do not appear again on the internal pages, which may disappoint browsers.
While not flawless learning experiences, both books are useful tools to promote language development thanks to clear photos and clean layouts. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-629-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
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
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An invitation for readers to learn through observation.
Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.
Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-46509-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
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