Uninspired illustrations and an unrealistic conclusion make this one to pass on.
A little girl becomes “the silly monster” after she returns oversugared and overexcited from a birthday party.
In this board book, Tilly returns from a birthday party, bag of candy in hand, and becomes the titular monster—illustrated with corresponding illustrations of a red monster with blue spots—jumping on the couch and bugging her brother. Her father’s intervention turns the monster back into Tilly with some quiet time. Adult readers will be familiar with this “silly monster” that often overtakes their child, and children may be familiar with the feelings of post-party mania. What’s lacking in Bucknell’s text, however, is a mechanism to help young readers understand and own these feelings. The book ends with Tilly’s unrealistic promise to her father that the silly monster won’t ever return again rather than a reinforcement of the calming practices she’ll use the next time she turns into the monster, because readers certainly know she will. Seal’s cutesy illustrations appear on stark white backgrounds, and while they do include some nice details, they do little to invite readers to linger on pages. Tilly has pale skin and dirty-blonde hair, while her father has light-brown skin and brown hair. Simultaneously publishing titles feature the lazy, sleepy, and hungry monsters and follow the same concept and structure: A child overcome by a “monster” is guided back by a parent.
Uninspired illustrations and an unrealistic conclusion make this one to pass on. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1519-0
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Treacle drips from every page. Find self-esteem elsewhere.
The voice of an omniscient narrator, who may or may not be a caregiver, speaks directly to an unhappy child with an invitation to a very special place.
The child follows directions to the beautiful title isle “just across the bay.” Ferried across by a toy elephant in a sailboat, the child is given an enthusiastic welcome by more adorable animals and some other children. The little one swims in a waterfall, rides a giant eagle, relaxes in a hammock, and happily engages with some of the other children. Several of the activities are stereotypically girl-associated, and the other children appear to be girls with varying skin tones and hair textures; the little protagonist has light skin and a brown pageboy and is only suggested as female. After elaborate entertainments and a sweet feast, the child is assured that “someone loves you very, very, very much” before being borne safely home. Deep purple, bright pastel pink, and yellow watercolors dominate the color palette, creating a magical, otherworldly atmosphere. But it is also somewhat creepy as well. The Isle of You exists only for the protagonist’s happiness, even the other children there, who appear to have no existence in the real world. Apparently intended to build self-esteem and comfort, it seems to encourage self-centeredness instead, as does the ending play on the pronunciation of the title words.
Treacle drips from every page. Find self-esteem elsewhere. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Dec. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9116-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
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