bookshelf

COUNT THE WAYS, LITTLE BROWN BEAR

Name: COUNT THE WAYS, LITTLE BROWN BEAR
Author: Jonathan London
ISBN: 0-525-46097-7

by Jonathan London & illustrated by Margie Moore ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2001

bookshelf

An evening repast enjoyed outdoors inspires a flurry of counting games for a mother bear and her young cub. Mama Brown Bear ingeniously fosters her little bear’s counting abilities by encouraging him to add up the numerous ways in which he is loved. This creative quantification of his mother’s love leads Little Brown Bear to count a variety of items specifically selected to tickle a youngster’s fancy. Over their picnic supper and throughout their evening bed-time routine, Little Brown Bear discovers his mother loves him more than he likes to catch a pair of fish, munch a quartet of apples, or receive a passel of hugs from his favorite stuffed animals. First-time illustrator Moore’s selection of sunny pastels for the detailed pastoral scenes and deeper hues for the evening sequences vivify her illustrations. Playful pictures depicting the duo savoring each other’s company underscore the tale’s tender message. While there is one illustration depicting the numerals one through ten flitting across the page, the lack of any direct numeral/word/object association makes this a bit of a stretch for a first introduction to numbers for young readers. However, older ones, with a surer grasp on their number line, will enjoy this clever foray into counting. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2001

ISBN: 0-525-46097-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2001

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
HERE COMES SHOPKEEPER HIPPO
by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Gilles Eduar

- BOOK REVIEW
HERE COMES TRUCK DRIVER HIPPO
by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Gilles Eduar

- BOOK REVIEW
FROGGY FOR PRESIDENT!
by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

bookshelf

THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

bookshelf

Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.

Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: March 29, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

bookshelf

THE VERY BEST HUG

by Smriti Prasadam-Halls ; illustrated by Alison Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 24, 2023

A delightfully silly celebration of familial love.

bookshelf

A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.

In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)