bookshelf

WHAT DO YOU WANT, LITTLE FRIEND?

Name: WHAT DO YOU WANT, LITTLE FRIEND?
Author: Marianne Dubuc
ISBN: 978-1-61689-944-8

by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2020

A slightly offbeat lesson in compassion.

bookshelf

Whether this book is charming, profound, or insubstantial, it’s a quick, sweet read. The overarching simplicity in storyline and artwork in this odd little book leaves one wondering if its message lies in what’s rendered, what’s implied, or what readers infer. Clean, uncluttered lines, spare, bright colors, and white backgrounds mirror the minimal detail of the plot. A playful, kite-flying kitten accidentally steps on a fly. Upset, the kitten asks, “Are you okay, little fly?” Over the course of the next nine double-page spreads, the kitten alternately exhorts the fly to “move like me,” “walk like ants do,” or “fly like the birds.” After each suggestion, the kitten asks, “Don’t you want to?” as the fly lies on its back, legs in the air, either dead or stunned. Finally, the kitten cups a hand to its ear and asks, “What are you saying, little fly?” In what may be a Buddhist nod to the sanctity of all life, a statement about the healing power of love or perhaps the importance of listening, or an unfortunate dismissal of the rules of hygiene, the kitten concludes, “Aaaah! You want a KISS!” After a laying on of lips, the reanimated fly flits off, as the kitten bids it, “Goodbye, little friend!” The net effect is arguably equal parts beguiling and puzzling. A slightly offbeat lesson in compassion. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-61689-944-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press

Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
EVERYONE GETS A TURN
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

- BOOK REVIEW
ON BABA'S BACK
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc

- BOOK REVIEW
1, 2, 3, OFF TO SCHOOL!
by Marianne Dubuc ; illustrated by Marianne Dubuc ; translated by Yvette Ghione

bookshelf

LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S HALLOWEEN

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.

bookshelf

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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

bookshelf

ANIMAL SHAPES

by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.

bookshelf

You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!

What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)