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WHO'S HIDING WITH PENGUIN?

Sturdier in construction than geography.

Animals play hide-and-seek.

It's time for a game of hide-and-seek, and these cold-climate animals are ready to play. The text asks readers who is hiding behind each animal, with bits of color poking out from behind cuts in the pages to act as clues. "Whose brown antlers are those?" (sticking up behind a polar bear) reveals a reindeer, "Whose cute ears are those?" (protruding from behind a fox’s rump) reveals the polar bear, and so on. The illustrations are round, soft, and colored with warm blues, oranges, browns, and reds. Pages are exceptionally thick, their shaped edges easing manipulation by little fingers. Some of the clues are easier than others, and the smallest readers won't care to think hard before turning the page to the next cute critter. Unfortunately, the inclusion of the penguin with the polar bear and reindeer reinforces the common misconception that these animals are not poles apart. Companion Who's Hiding With Tiger? is concurrently published and features jungle animals and a color palette heavier on greens and yellows; it is similarly flawed in its implication that tigers, pandas, and gorillas share a geography. These books won't be any child's favorite but will pass the time well enough.

Sturdier in construction than geography. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4521-5661-3

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017

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SPOOKY POOKIE

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.

One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.

It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: July 7, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5

Page Count: 18

Publisher: Robin Corey/Random

Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

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LLAMA LLAMA TRICK OR TREAT

From the Llama Llama series

In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.

Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)

 

Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014

ISBN: 978-0451469786

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015

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