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THE WOLF AND THE FLY

Name: THE WOLF AND THE FLY
Author: Antje Damm
ISBN: 978-1-776572-80-9

by Antje Damm ; illustrated by Antje Damm ; translated by Catherine Chidgey ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 5, 2020

Hard to swallow.

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Kids will enjoy this test of their powers of observation in this German import via New Zealand, but caregivers may cringe at the devil-may-care approach to choking hazards.

Author/illustrator Damm’s The Visitor earned her a Best Illustrated Book nod from the New York Times in 2018. This book, unfortunately, though playful in intent, is muddled. The artwork is wonderful—the protagonist, a hungry little wolf, has an abundance of personality, and he stands out against the bright, monochromatic backgrounds. Each facing page features three shelves of his “toys,” as they’re described on the back of the book. They include a duck, an apple, a fish, a cactus, a car, a fly, a bird, and a cat. The wolf, “feeling a bit peckish today,” eats one unspecified item at a time. With each turn of the page, young readers are challenged to identify which item is missing, and they will likely squeal with delight as they do. Caregivers who’ve had to yell, “Don’t put that in your mouth!” or wrestle a choking hazard from the jaws of a toddler may be less amused. If this sparks a “Can you really eat that?” conversation, perhaps that’s all to the good. Kids will also enjoy a bit of potty humor—all that eating occasions a quick trip to the bathroom—and a climactic puke scene, as the titular housefly proves one morsel too many

Hard to swallow. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: May 5, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-776572-80-9

Page Count: 22

Publisher: Gecko Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE VISITOR
by Antje Damm ; illustrated by Antje Damm ; translated by Sally-Ann Spencer

- BOOK REVIEW
WAITING FOR GOLIATH
by Antje Damm ; illustrated by Antje Damm

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S HALLOWEEN

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.

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A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.

Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: July 5, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3

Page Count: 16

Publisher: HMH Books

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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ANIMAL SHAPES

by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.

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You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!

What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)