bookshelf

KIKI'S POTTY

Name: KIKI'S POTTY
Author: Esther van den Berg
ISBN: 9781605378527

From the Kiki series , Vol. 2

by Esther van den Berg ; illustrated by Esther van den Berg ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 16, 2023

Simple, purposeful, and fun—just the thing to help little ones move from diapers to undies.

bookshelf

Kiki and a crew of other critters take turns showing off their circus tricks—right after they use the potty.

As most caregivers know, potty training turns a household into its own kind of circus, with adults doing most of the tricks to encourage their little ones. In this picture book, polka-dot-diaper–wearing Kiki, who appears to be a chipmunk, plays ringmaster, standing on a stool and encouraging their animal friends to display their skills. Squirrel, Rabbit, Rat, and Beaver take center stage right after they stop to use the potty and wash their paws. Kiki, meanwhile, races around supporting their friends until at last it’s time for the stool to open into a potty and “Ta-da!” Kiki uses it for the first time. The story follows a repetitive structure sure to appeal to young kids who are also learning to use the potty. Caregivers will appreciate how the book reinforces the importance of using the potty and refers to doing so successfully as an “impressive trick.” On the other hand, Kiki wears underwear after successfully using the potty the very first time, a rather unrealistically quick transition. The animals are appealing, with giant eyes, rosy cheeks, playful outfits, and adorable touches like Rat’s crinkly whiskers. Their fur is textured and shaded, giving it a touchable appearance. The friends are referred to with gendered pronouns, but Kiki is not. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Simple, purposeful, and fun—just the thing to help little ones move from diapers to undies. (Picture book. 1-3)

Pub Date: May 16, 2023

ISBN: 9781605378527

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clavis

Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

- BOOK REVIEW
GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT
by Esther van den Berg ; illustrated by Esther van den Berg

- BOOK REVIEW
SUCH A LIBRARY!
by Jill Ross Nadler ; illustrated by Esther van den Berg

bookshelf

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.

bookshelf

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

bookshelf

ALL ABOUT ME

From the Look & Learn series

by National Geographic ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 11, 2014

Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on...

bookshelf

An exploration of the human body through colorful photos.

Every other double-page spread labels the individual parts on one major area: head, torso, back, arm and leg. Ethnically diverse boy-girl pairs serve as models as arrows point to specific features and captions float nearby. While the book usefully mentions rarely depicted body parts, such as eyebrow, armpit and shin, some of the directional arrows are unclear. The arrow pointing at a girl’s shoulder hits her in the upper arm, and the belly button is hard is distinguish from the stomach (both are concealed by shirts). Facts about the human body (“Guess what? You have tiny hairs in your nose that keep out dirt”) appear on alternating spreads along with photos of kids in action. Baby Animals, another title in the Look & Learn series, uses an identical format to introduce readers to seal pups, leopard cubs, elephant calves, ducklings and tadpoles. In both titles, the final spread offers a review of the information and encourages readers to match baby animals to their parents or find body parts on a photo of kids jumping on a trampoline.

Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on the right track despite earlier titles that were much too conceptual for the audience. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)