WHERE MY FEET GO

Name: WHERE MY FEET GO
Author: Birgitta Sif
ISBN: 978-0-553-51164-2

by Birgitta Sif ; illustrated by Birgitta Sif ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 16, 2016

Pleasingly reflective of familiar childhood inner and outer wanderings, this picture book encourages little readers’ feet...

bookshelf

A little panda's feet, snug in yellow moon boots, turn everyday walks into extraordinary adventures.

They tread through the "thick jungle" (a vegetable garden), up "tall mountains" (a green knoll), over a "creaking bridge"(a log), and even into "the ocean" (a rain puddle). And that's just the morning! In the afternoon, those feet sit "very, very quietly" while the panda feeds "little dinosaurs" (bobbing birds). The ingenious incongruity between these imagined assertions and the realities keenly illustrated on these pages will delight children, who are intimately privy to the all-consuming power of pretend play. These uncluttered illustrations, in wintry purples, blues, greens, and browns, stretch across the length of two pages, suggesting an elasticized, unhurried narrative spun out of a young mind. Pencil drawings, made fuzzy and haloed by digital coloring, appear both specific and gauzy—an ambivalence that works in a story about unspooling imagination. The young narrator reads as a bit ambiguous, its long, string-bean body looking little like a roly-poly panda. Though the panda is gendered male in flap copy, the text is entirely in the first person, so the protagonist can be interpreted flexibly. The day described, however, with its swing rides, sandbox castles, bath-time splashes, and bedtime books, greatly resembles many children’s quotidian pleasures.

Pleasingly reflective of familiar childhood inner and outer wanderings, this picture book encourages little readers’ feet and minds to run on and on. (Picture book. 2-6)

Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-553-51164-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
WITCH IN THE COUNTRY
by Kallie George ; illustrated by Birgitta Sif

- BOOK REVIEW
CRIMSON TWILL
by Kallie George ; illustrated by Birgitta Sif

- BOOK REVIEW
HUGO
by Atinuke ; illustrated by Birgitta Sif

bookshelf

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.

bookshelf

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 AND RACER RED
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- 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

bookshelf

HAPPY EASTER, LITTLE POOKIE

From the Little Pookie series

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2023

An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.

bookshelf

Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.

Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)