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FARM

Name: FARM
Author: Jonathan Litton
ISBN: 978-1-58925-559-3

From the My First Touch and Feel series

by Jonathan Litton ; illustrated by Jonathan Litton ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2015

A cheery, interactive offering that serves tots well by bringing a selection of interesting sensations right to their eager...

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This rhyming, tactile title introduces little ones to life on a farm.

Short, rhyming verses highlight standard elements of farm life, such as a galloping horse, hatching chicks, a round pumpkin, a crowing rooster, a scarecrow, a snoozing cat, and more. Crisp, photographic images appear against white or brightly colored backgrounds, and each double-page spread incorporates some sort of textured area for little ones to engage their senses of touch. Some of the tactile sections are very obvious, such as the soft down on one of the fluffy chicks or the sheep’s fleece, while others are more difficult to detect, like the slightly bumpy tractor tires and goat’s horns. Textures include everything from the standard—furry, wooly, silky, and bumpy—to the unusual, such as a sticky bit of honey. The tactile areas convey what each item might feel like in the real world, with the notable exception of the drops of water and the stars, which do a better job conveying the appearances of these items—shiny!—than their actual textures.

A cheery, interactive offering that serves tots well by bringing a selection of interesting sensations right to their eager little fingertips. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: March 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-58925-559-3

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE ENVIRONMENT
by Jonathan Litton ; illustrated by Paulina Morgan

- BOOK REVIEW
ARCHITECTURE FOR BABIES
by Jonathan Litton ; illustrated by Thomas Elliott

- BOOK REVIEW
ANATOMY FOR BABIES
by Jonathan Litton ; illustrated by Thomas Elliott

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
POUT-POUT FISH
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE POUT-POUT FISH AND THE MAD, MAD DAY
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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THE ITSY BITSY BUNNY

by Jeffrey Burton ; illustrated by Sanja Rešček ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 5, 2016

Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.

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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)