Fun for older preschoolers, but don’t count on this to teach math skills.
Flaps to open, animals to count—this should be fun.
The design of this board book is both consistent and complex. Patterned text is always on the left; paper-thin flaps are always in the same positions on the right. Each spread starts with “5 little” animals engaged in an activity, followed by an invitation to find one or more of the animals doing something different behind a flap. So five monkeys hide behind leaves, and one monkey behind a flap displays its “bright red bottom.” While this is guaranteed to elicit laughter from children, adults may not appreciate this distraction from the counting lesson. Color-coded dots below the text provide additional counting practice. When two bears behind the flaps are eating blueberries, two blue dots and three gray dots line up at the bottom of the page. This pattern continues with cats, pigs, and mice. With numbers six through 10, the task becomes addition, with readers lifting all the flaps to find the right number of animals invited to the mice’s party. Hint: The animals are in the same positions they occupied on their original pages. On the final spread all the animals are represented by colored dots scattered around a black background. Does this sounds confusing? It is! Young children learning basic numeracy need clarity not complications.
Fun for older preschoolers, but don’t count on this to teach math skills. (Novelty board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-2-40802-468-0
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.
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)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-838-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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