Rich illustrations that drive the narrative make this so much more than a simple alphabet book.
An alphabet book with Christmas-themed words, celebrated with a mouse family.
Engelbreit’s signature artwork is the focus in this board book for young readers. Each letter has its own illustration populated by mice: mouse Santa, mice elves, and eager mice family members. While the letters in the alphabet provide the anchors for the text, the images have their own narrative thread, as readers see the mice preparing for the holiday. The level of detail in the illustrations is astounding and completely captivating even though the small trim of the format cramps the images. The mouse world is fully realized and meticulously drawn. There’s the face of a (presumably human-sized) wristwatch turned sideways on the shelf as a mouse-sized clock, the delicate knit pattern visible on the mother mouse’s sweater, and a child’s shoe refashioned into a sled. The book is full of these gems, not least of which is the mouse family’s adorable pet ladybug, present throughout. The ornate alphabet letter that accompanies each illustration has its own darling dress-up action, festooned with items that begin with the letter and not repeating what is featured in the main illustration. There is so much on each page that readers will snuggle in and linger, sparking a little bit of Christmas magic.
Rich illustrations that drive the narrative make this so much more than a simple alphabet book. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-074161-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
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)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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