An utterly charming, beguiling counting book that engages on many levels.
A bevy of bunnies playing hide-and-seek encounters a surprise.
Because they “like to play, / all together, every day,” a fox and some bunnies opt to play hide-and-seek. Counting to 10, bunnies announce “ready or not, here we come,” and “everybunny” counts “to one” badger. Two bunnies spy two birds and “everybunny” counts “to two.” The hunt proceeds with three bunnies finding three squirrels, four bunnies finding four ladybugs, five bunnies finding five ducks, and six bunnies finding six frogs, each discovery punctuated by the command for “everybunny” to count to the next number. After seven bunnies pause for a carrot snack, eight bunnies overlook the fox hiding with eight snails, and nine sleepy bunnies in a line pass by nine sheep before all 10 bunnies finally find the fox. Exuberantly, “everybunny” counts “ten” as 10 surprises emerge from the fox’s den. The cadenced, deceptively simple rhyming text repetitively prompts readers through the count from one to 10, while whimsical pencil-and-watercolor illustrations invite discerning eyes to count the bunnies and critters for each sequential number. Simple black outlines define bouncy bunnies that are humorously differentiated by color, spots, hats, glasses, slippers, bow ties, and tutus as occasional glimpses of the fox propel movement across the pages to a joyous visual climax.
An utterly charming, beguiling counting book that engages on many levels. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0014-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
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