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PUDDLE'S ABC

From the Toot & Puddle series

Hobbie’s porkers in play clothes return for a fourth episode, just as winning as the previous three. Finding little Otto Turtle fishing next to a “No Fishing” sign, Puddle offers to teach him the letters of his name. This leads in natural stages to an alphabetical animal gallery that covers not only the 26 letters, but a range of moods from joyful (“Bb. Ballerina blowing bubbles”) to scared (Nn. Not another nightmare!”) to silly (“Zz. Zooming Zucchini”). After practicing, Otto’s not only proudly writing his own name, but Toot’s too (perspicuously noting that, “ ‘Otto is Toot spelled inside out.’ ”) By the end he is even ready to tackle “Puddle.” The art alternates between a fluid, precise cartoon style, and Puddle’s flatter, more childlike technique. Filled with wordplay and giggle-inducing visuals accompanying a sturdy story line, and with plenty of encouraging praise and flattery, this is certain to spur many children into following in Otto’s footsteps as he takes his eager first venture into literacy. Irresistible. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000

ISBN: 0-316-36593-9

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000

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CHICKA CHICKA HO HO HO

From the Chicka Chicka Book series

A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.

A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.

The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.

A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024

ISBN: 9781665954761

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024

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TEN LITTLE FISH

This charming, colorful counting tale of ten little fish runs full-circle. Although the light verse opens and closes with ten fish swimming in a line, page-by-page the line grows shorter as the number of fish diminishes one-by-one. One fish dives down, one gets lost, one hides, and another takes a nap until a single fish remains. Then along comes another fish to form a couple and suddenly a new family of little fish emerges to begin all over. Slick, digitally-created images of brilliant marine flora and fauna give an illusion of underwater depth and silence enhancing the verse’s numerical and theatrical progression. The holistic story bubbles with life’s endless cycle. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2004

ISBN: 0-439-63569-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2004

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