A charming, energetic attention-grabber—but one that probably shouldn’t be read before bedtime.
Everything winds down at nighttime, right? Guess again.
Some creatures rouse when others snooze. This lively book, narrated in concise, rich prose, kicks off with animals who, by night, propel a voracious food chain. The chain starts with microscopic organisms and grows as increasingly larger beings prey upon smaller, weaker creatures in turn—and concludes in a full-page spread with a fierce-looking, stylized tiger reigning victorious atop the chain, depicted with prey floating within a cutaway shot of its abdomen. But, as readers discover when a young tiger-costumed child and their pajama-clad sibling appear on the pages following that scene, this book isn’t about nocturnal animals’ dining habits. It’s really about what children desire as night falls—to assert dominance over sleep, i.e., to cajole parents into extra romps and snuggles before bed. Youngsters will easily relate to that notion and will be captivated by the energetic, fanciful illustrations—created with gouache, watercolor, ink, colored pencil, and oil pastel—that explode in a dazzling array of colors as the creatures devour each other. The text plays with fonts, incorporating imaginative type settings throughout, enhancing visual interest. However, the juxtaposition between the dynamic scenes portraying the nighttime feeding frenzy and those depicting the children’s rambunctious sleep-delaying tactics might prove jarring, though the tiger is shown finally settling down, too. The family is tan-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming, energetic attention-grabber—but one that probably shouldn’t be read before bedtime. (facts about the animals named in the book) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-37429-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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