THE SNEAKY, SNACKY SQUIRREL

Name: THE SNEAKY, SNACKY SQUIRREL
Author: Educational Insights
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9465-4

by Educational Insights ; illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2017

Readers may well enjoy the colorful (if repetitive) illustrations and lifting the flaps even though there isn’t much point...

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In this lift-the-flap book, the titular squirrel has hidden all of his acorns and needs assistance finding them.

Readers help the squirrel find his well-hidden acorns via color and number cues. The book progresses color by color and also sequentially as the squirrel searches for one red acorn, then two yellow acorns, and so on. Gaggiotti’s digital illustrations are charming—especially of the sneaky, snacky squirrel and his bird friends—but page to page, there is little variation to hold readers’ interest. The tree appears on each spread but remains mostly the same. The background color behind the text offers the most dramatic difference from a design perspective. The flaps are difficult to see and vary in placement from scene to scene, which is perhaps part of the challenge. Though the text asks readers to find a specific number and color of acorns, there are not multiple colors or differences in numbers from which readers can choose to guide them to the “correct” choices vis-à-vis the decoys. For example, on one spread, the choice is simply between an acorn and a piece of pizza. If readers coincidentally find the acorn or acorns first, there is no need to look under other flaps. The book doesn’t allow readers to explore the differences among colors and quantities, which robs it of some of its developmental oomph.

Readers may well enjoy the colorful (if repetitive) illustrations and lifting the flaps even though there isn’t much point to what’s underneath them. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9465-4

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Candlewick Entertainment

Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.

Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
POUT-POUT FISH
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE POUT-POUT FISH AND THE MAD, MAD DAY
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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MERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE POOKIE

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer...

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Seven years after Little Pookie (2011) first appeared, this popular piglet is finally celebrating Christmas.

“Oh Pookie! Come look! It’s beginning to snow,” says a maternal-looking pig. But where did Pookie go? Past the Christmas tree, to put on a snowsuit of course. Pookie’s ever cheerful mama is willing to go out too. After all, “It’s a magical time to be walking with you.” When she observes, “Our noses are frozen. It’s time to go in,” Pookie protests in typical toddler style: “But I’m not c-c-c-cold!” The next three pages highlight indoor holiday preparations—making paper garlands, baking and decorating cookies. The rhyming text mirrors the spare illustrations. A spidery type that emulates handwriting makes it clear when Pookie is speaking. Then “the doorbell is ringing. / Our family and friends have arrived for the singing.” The second-to-last spread shows Pookie, mama, and six other pigs—and Boynton’s requisite chicken—singing (“Con brio”), “MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! AND A HAP-PY NEW YEAR!” Conveniently, this text is placed beneath the musical notation. Finally Pookie hangs a stocking and goes off to bed without any fuss, anticipating presents on Christmas morning.

The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer or an ideal Christmas Eve read to share with other little piggies. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)