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RUN, RUN PIGLET

Name: RUN, RUN PIGLET
Author: Betty Ann Schwartz
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2467-4

From the Follow-along series

by Betty Ann Schwartz & Lynn Seresin ; illustrated by Neiko Ng ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2015

The brief, simple storyline and built-in participation will make this one a treat for busy tots.

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This interactive offering asks readers to help Piglet find a favorite mud puddle.

Readers start by punching out a little piggy that is threaded on a cleverly placed string that runs from the front cover to the back cover, allowing Piglet to slip through die-cut openings from one page spread to the next. On the hunt for that mud puddle, Piglet asks Cow where it might be: “Moo, moo! Not here,” Cow answers, “Run and ask Chicken.” Little listeners will be excited to help Piglet through the opening and turn the page, where again there is no mud. Once through the next opening, Piglet visits the horse, who sends the little porker on to the yard. Move Piglet through one more opening, and there’s Mama Pig, the rest of the brood, and at last, that favorite puddle of mud. The moving piggy is sure to engage toddlers, but adults should know that they will likely need to thread Piglet back to the beginning of the book for repeat fun (it’s more difficult to move the little cardboard piece backward). In companion volume Hop, Hop Bunny, little hands maneuver a bunny through flower gardens, over rocks, and under a bush before finding Daddy Bunny and the rest of the family in the carrot patch.

The brief, simple storyline and built-in participation will make this one a treat for busy tots. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: March 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4521-2467-4

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE
edited by Betty Ann Schwartz & illustrated by Alix Berenzy

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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)