A charming introduction to colors, set against the backdrop of a happy, child-centered holiday.
It’s time for the Purim party—wear your costume, and bring something delicious to eat!
Each page of this board book presents a child dressed in a single-hued costume and carrying a food item to match. The getups vary, with some children dressing as participants from the Purim tale and some in different imaginative or amusing creations. Lily is Queen Esther, dressed in red and displaying a bowl of apples. Nora is an orange butterfly, offering papayas. Ava is a frog with green grapes. And then there’s Leo, holding several yellow bananas and wearing a hamantaschen costume. So who does bring the hamantaschen? After all the items have been presented, the title question is asked and answered. Here comes a pair of loving grandparents—one wears a Purim party hat and waves a grager, or noisemaker—both displaying a large plate of the perfectly triangular jelly-filled treats. Everyone gathers around the festive balloon-decorated table to enjoy all the colorful foods. Making use of flat, simple shapes, the book brims with visual appeal as each vivid, clearly named color is introduced to young readers, but only readers familiar with Purim—or who have a knowledgeable grown-up nearby to explain—will be able to understand the Purim connections. Characters vary in terms of skin tone and hair color.
A charming introduction to colors, set against the backdrop of a happy, child-centered holiday. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9798765620670
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery.
A troop of cats traverse a spooky landscape as they make their way to a party hosted by ghosts.
Each double-page spread shows the felines’ encounters with the likes of an owl, jack-o’-lanterns or a bat. One or two of these creepy meetings may be too abstract for the youngest readers, as the cats hear eerie noises with no discernible source on the page. The text, which consists of one rhyming couplet per scene, mostly scans despite a couple of wobbles: “Five black cats get a bit of a scare / As the flip-flapping wings of a bat fill the air.” The sleek, slightly retro art, likely created using a computer, depicts the cats cavorting at night through a shadowy cityscape, the countryside and a haunted house; they may scare some toddlers and delight others. A brighter color palette would have given the project a friendlier, more universal appeal. Luckily, the well-lit, final party scene provides a playful conclusion.
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-611-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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