Flimsy in both format and content.
Flaps reveal the playful antics of a menagerie of animals in this Dutch/Flemish import with a question-and-answer text.
On the verso of each double-page spread, a selection of four or five critters from the same habitat is introduced, such as “Animals in the Jungle” or “Animals in the Woods.” On the exterior of the large flap on the recto, a simple query appears about one of the creatures. “Is the seal swimming in the ocean all by itself?” is the query for the “Animals in the Ocean” double-page spread. Under that flap, the action of the scene is revealed with the players depicted on the facing page interacting together. This toddler bestiary depicts many of the stock players of board books, such as lion, elephant, cow, and pig, but there are a few rarities listed, such as robin (depicted as a European robin), hedgehog, and mole. The art skews toward the cute, depicting chubby beasts with oversized eyes and babyish, smiling faces. Those seeking accurate animal behavior will wish to look elsewhere, since that doesn’t appear to be the goal of this offering—predators and prey are awfully familiar in a couple of scenes. The flimsy flaps may not survive robust toddler play. A finger-sized indentation aids opening the flaps, but their pointy corners may poke little fingers.
Flimsy in both format and content. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-60537-563-2
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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