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LET'S PLAY, NOISY DINOSAUR!

It’s just fine, but there’s not a lot to make noise about.

A counting book full of noisy animals.

Dinosaur enthusiasts be warned: This is not a counting book about dinosaurs, nor do dinosaurs feature prominently (except on the cover and in the rather misleading title). Each thick page has its own felt tab affixed to the right margin, and when the book is closed, they form the spine on the cover’s dinosaur. It’s a nice visual addition even though some little fingers may not yet be ready to grasp them to turn the pages. Each spread features a rhyming quatrain, which flows nicely, reads aloud smoothly, and keeps a steady pace. Some pages really invite readers to participate, like the “four noisy dinosaurs [who] romp and stomp around!” The illustrations are very bright and simple, but compositions are occasionally confusing. All of the animals have cartoonish features with wide eyes and smiles. The little blue mouse (no, not a dinosaur) introduced on the first page becomes a guide, appearing playfully with each group of animals as the book progresses. This is a sweet little detail, and readers will enjoy spotting it, though it’s not always easy to make out, especially when it fades into the blue background of the spread that introduces three yellow birds.

It’s just fine, but there’s not a lot to make noise about. (Board book. 1-2)

Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68010-631-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020

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BABY LOVES TO PARTY!

Great for a birthday read and enjoyable all year long.

A little one grabs a pair of shutter shades and gets a major groove on. 

"Who loves to party?" The board book kicks off with this question, and each page follows with a different animal enjoying a wild time in increasingly silly ways. Lemurs hang streamers, pheasants wrap presents, and the mole rat wears his party hat. The titular baby makes a grand entrance on the second to last page, answering the original question and taking this party to a whole new level. The rhythmic, internally rhyming lines encourage a thumping beat for little ones to clap or stomp along with. Young readers will delight at all the animals and the funky colors, and adults will snicker at the contemporary quirks of the party. More board books should have parakeets dropping beats and ocelots that rock a lot. Electric colors and busy compositions make for an appropriately frenetic accompaniment.

Great for a birthday read and enjoyable all year long. (Board book. 1-2)

Pub Date: May 5, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4814-2994-8

Page Count: 30

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

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WHERE'S THE LADYBUG?

A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot.

Little ones learn about bugs.

The world of insects and like small creatures is the focus of this sturdy board book. Each turn of the page gives readers a close view of a particular habitat. The text asks, “Where’s the ladybug?” or “Where’s the snail?” and little ones are encouraged to find the creatures under shaped felt flaps. A caterpillar poses under a leaf with a few bites taken out of it; a bumblebee flies behind a pink tulip. The flaps are made of a reasonably strong material, secured tightly within the book’s pages. Extremely determined readers may figure out a way to pull the flaps out, but most will enjoy flipping them up and over with ease. The last page of the book contains a mirror hidden behind a bush-shaped flap, and readers are asked “And where are you?” The insects smile with big eyes and are composed of large, circular, clean-edged shapes. The color palette is dulled, making the neon flaps pop effectively for little readers. Concurrently publishing companion Where’s the Giraffe? explores the world of jungle animals.

A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot. (Board book. 1-2)

Pub Date: March 28, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9335-0

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Nosy Crow

Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017

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