A sweet ecosystem introduction for preschoolers, the first of a promising series.
The African savanna, home of a tiny lion cub, is full of intriguing wildlife.
The straightforward text of this appealing picture book follows a tiny lion cub for 24 hours as he plays, practices his hunting, and sleeps in his savanna world. It introduces his surroundings and his family—a pride that includes aunts, cousins, and a father with a “very, very loud” roar. At night, after the exhausted cub goes off to sleep, the lionesses hunt. While the text mentions that lions are meat eaters, and they’re shown stalking zebra, the kill is only suggested, with the bare hint of a zebra hide behind some shrubbery in a nighttime scene. Listeners will be reassured to hear that the cub, for now, “only needs his mother’s milk.” The digitally created illustrations sometimes focus in on the cub and his family and sometimes move back to display scenes in which he’s barely visible among his many unfamiliar neighbors. Day moves smoothly into night and back again. Images and names of most of the animals pictured are repeated on the endpapers. The animals (far more numerous than in reality) have appealing faces and yet remain thoroughly identifiable. Listeners may be lulled to sleep by the gentle story, but they’ll also want to be active participants in the find-that-animal game.
A sweet ecosystem introduction for preschoolers, the first of a promising series. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-909263-56-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
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
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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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