A fresh take on well-worn traditions.
What are these helpful mice decorating? That’s the question this board book poses readers.
Each illustration is accompanied by three or four words of text (“First the lights! / Then, the garland!”) with further hints in the snowy scenes. Long focuses on decorations that even young children may notice early on in the seasonal frenzy. Two of the mouse elfs might be male; they have green-and-white stocking caps perched between their ears with matching green-striped tops slightly flared at the bottom. The third mouse elf sports a red-and-white hat and scarf with a green top and longer red skirt and seems to be female. They all have red socks and curly elf feet. Regardless, they throw themselves equally into their tasks, opening boxes labeled “decorations,” hanging lights and garland, juggling ornaments. Not until Page 13 do readers start to wonder what exactly they are decorating. Why do they need snacks and sunglasses or a map, air freshener, and fuzzy dice? The mystery is solved on the next-to-last spread when a Santa polar bear appears in a festively decorated sleigh. Adult readers will appreciate the visual humor: The star perched on a coil is made of cheese; the slogan on the mug proclaims “COCOA is the new COFFEE.” Older toddlers will enjoy the clever mouse antics and surprise ending.
A fresh take on well-worn traditions. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2305-6
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
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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