Definitely worth getting
A bemused teddy bear illustrates 15 ways to sit.
Energy, humor, and flawless design provide just enough information to engage toddlers. On the left-hand page, bold black type stands out against a white background. On the right, uncluttered illustrations effectively position patterns and primary colors against solid backgrounds. Scenes alternate between familiar and fanciful situations. Though the bear’s mouth rarely changes, subtle shifts of the eyes make its face surprisingly expressive, whether it’s waiting for a hot drink to cool, relaxing in an inflatable pool, or peering glumly from under an umbrella. Minor changes to the bear’s wardrobe add details about each activity. When “sitting in the garden” surrounded by flowers, the bear sports a broad-brimmed hat, but when “sitting in a car,” it wears a racer’s cap and natty striped scarf. A white sailor hat is appropriate for “sitting in a boat”; a white-and-yellow–striped shirt both complements and contrasts with the blue-and-white–striped sail. An arm draped around a companion bunny makes the more-abstract concept “sitting with a friend” clear. Going, which publishes simultaneously, features the same gentle humor, with the bear “going fast” (on a skateboard), “slow” (on a turtle), “to the doctor” (with both lollipop and thermometer), “to the bathroom,” etc.
Definitely worth getting . (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-279630-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring in alphabetical order.
Each page displays an enormous capital letter, one line of verse with the keyword capitalized, and a loving nonhuman parent gazing adoringly at their baby. “A is for Always. I always love you more. / B is for Butterfly kisses. It’s you that I adore.” While not named or labelled as such, the A is also for an alligator and its hatchling and B is for a butterfly and a butterfly child (not a caterpillar—biology is not the aim of this title) interacting in some way with the said letter. For E there are an elephant and a calf; U features a unicorn and foal; and X, keyed to the last letter of the animal’s name, corresponds to a fox and three pups. The final double-page spread shows all the featured creatures and their babies as the last line declares: “Baby, I love you from A to Z!” The verse is standard fare and appropriately sentimental. The art is cartoony-cute and populated by suitably loving critters on solid backgrounds. Hearts accent each scene, but the theme of the project is never in any doubt.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2095-6
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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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