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BUTTERFLY'S SURPRISE

Name: BUTTERFLY'S SURPRISE
Author: Grace Maccarone
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0153-8

A LIFT-THE-FLAP BOOK

by Grace Maccarone ; illustrated by Valentina Belloni ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2016

Flutter by it.

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A sparkly, smiling butterfly looks for a present that “Mommy and Daddy” butterfly have hidden in this lift-the-flap board book.

She peeks under the seven flaps but finds only animal friends. She stands on her back legs or flits from grass to leaf to rosebush to tree to nest. Finally, the flap with a rock on it is lifted to reveal the gift: a rainbow, as gaudy as butterfly herself. The story, though wordy, is slight and silly. The noises the cartoonish animals make are mostly unremarkable, but readers will be puzzled by the turtle that says, “Lah-dee-dah.” The pink and purple butterfly with curling antennae is identified as female. One must wonder if the artist had made it black and brown would it be referred to as male? And of course, any budding entomologist knows butterfly parents just lay their eggs and go off to die. They don't hang around to dote on their offspring, who as “children” are larvae rather than fully developed butterflies—but these scientific facts would render the whole premise of the book moot. Of course, toddlers probably won't care about such details, but they also won't care about this contrived and predictable story. There are no surprises here. From a structural standpoint, while the board pages are sturdy enough, the flaps are quite flimsy and likely will not last through more than one or two encounters with a determined toddler.

Flutter by it. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4998-0153-8

Page Count: 16

Publisher: Little Bee Books

Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BROTHER PUMPKIN HEAD
by Lucia Panzieri ; illustrated by Samantha Enria translated by Grace Maccarone

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by Grace Maccarone ; illustrated by Célia Chauffrey

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LITTLE TREE THAT WOULD NOT SHARE
by Nicoletta Costa ; illustrated by Nicoletta Costa ; translated by Grace Maccarone

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S HALLOWEEN

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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ANIMAL SHAPES

by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.

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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)