The charm of the illustrations cannot redeem their poor interaction with the text.
Ten ducklings brave a dip in a child’s wading pool.
“One fluffy duck goes waddling one day. / Two fluffy ducks have found a place to play!” The verse counts its way up to 10 as more and more white ducks enter stage left. When each bird arrives, it ascends a short ladder and crosses a low diving board, but the ducks never make it into the water until the last spread, where the text re-states the title: “SPLISH, SPLASH, SPLOSH!” Various slapstick difficulties impede the critters’ attempts to swim, such as a tree branch that snags one duckling’s inner tube to leave the creature tantalizingly dangling over the water. While the rhyming text scans, it does not always coincide with the jaunty cartoons. The ducks do not look particularly fluffy. A couple of times the birds are said to be grinning or talking, but their bills never reflect this. One of the ducklings is called “Splosh,” but none of the others are named. Melling’s pen-and-ink drawings in fluid lines and muted colors are a delight and have a pleasingly retro look and feel; here’s hoping he can a find (or write) another text worthy of his talents.
The charm of the illustrations cannot redeem their poor interaction with the text. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-643-9
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.
Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014
ISBN: 978-0451469786
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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