A playful, child-friendly introduction to a well-known work of art.
A baby hippo, based on the ancient Egyptian figurine from the Louvre Museum, plays hide-and-seek with a butterfly in this French import.
The titular calf, with bright blue skin and darker blue markings painted on its body, counts to three to find a spot to hide. Subsequent spreads find the hippo, chameleonlike, adopting the color and texture of yellow sand, red bricks, and green grass. When his mommy, a larger hippo with similar markings, calls him for a bath, the butterfly finds him. Now the butterfly, which is also bright blue, hides in plain sight against the baby hippo’s markings. Simultaneously publishing in the First Steps in Art series, Antoinette the Tree Frog, also by Elschner but illustrated by Xavière Devos, depicts a frog wearing an old-fashioned bathing costume in artist Claude Monet’s lily pond. A gust of wind carries off Mr. Claude’s straw hat, which Antoinette finds and takes a nap in. The droll narratives are simply told, and the illustrations loosely and effectively evoke the art style each uses as an inspiration. The backmatter of both books describes a bit about the artistic influences and where museum visitors can see the originals. On the back of each book, a reproduction of the original artwork appears.
A playful, child-friendly introduction to a well-known work of art. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7643-6111-1
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Schiffer
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
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
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The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer...
Seven years after Little Pookie (2011) first appeared, this popular piglet is finally celebrating Christmas.
“Oh Pookie! Come look! It’s beginning to snow,” says a maternal-looking pig. But where did Pookie go? Past the Christmas tree, to put on a snowsuit of course. Pookie’s ever cheerful mama is willing to go out too. After all, “It’s a magical time to be walking with you.” When she observes, “Our noses are frozen. It’s time to go in,” Pookie protests in typical toddler style: “But I’m not c-c-c-cold!” The next three pages highlight indoor holiday preparations—making paper garlands, baking and decorating cookies. The rhyming text mirrors the spare illustrations. A spidery type that emulates handwriting makes it clear when Pookie is speaking. Then “the doorbell is ringing. / Our family and friends have arrived for the singing.” The second-to-last spread shows Pookie, mama, and six other pigs—and Boynton’s requisite chicken—singing (“Con brio”), “MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! AND A HAP-PY NEW YEAR!” Conveniently, this text is placed beneath the musical notation. Finally Pookie hangs a stocking and goes off to bed without any fuss, anticipating presents on Christmas morning.
The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer or an ideal Christmas Eve read to share with other little piggies. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3724-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
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