A “hippity hoppity” tale and a lovely way to get little readers excited for Easter.
In this board book based on the song “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” an accident-prone rabbit delivers Easter treats.
The titular bunny trots along with a red wagon full of surprises but doesn’t quite make a clean delivery: He cracks the eggs, spills the jelly beans, and eats the chocolate bunnies. But he hides what’s left of the treats and heads back down the bunny trail. Sattler’s illustrations contrast with the more straightforward text (on a page with the words “Hippity, hoppity / Easter’s on its way,” we see Peter sprawled on his face, having taken a tumble), letting readers in on the joke that the bunny isn’t doing what’s expected. The final page provides questions that encourage a reread: “How many eggs can you find on each page?” for example. This addition challenges toddler readers with a seek-and-find–style revisit. With his blue overalls, floppy ears, and wide, expressive eyes, Peter cuts an endearing figure. The illustrations use spring pastels like baby blue, pale green, and pinks and purples. An adorable little snail with knowing eyes opens and closes the book. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A “hippity hoppity” tale and a lovely way to get little readers excited for Easter. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5341-1168-4
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
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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Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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