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COUNTDOWN WITH MILO

Name: COUNTDOWN WITH MILO
Author: Mike Austin
ISBN: 978-1-60905-208-9

From the Adventures of Milo & Mouse series

by Mike Austin & illustrated by Mike Austin ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2012

An amusing, imaginative launch into outer space.

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Milo and Mouse have an out-of-this-world adventure.

Cat and mouse buckle their seatbelts and head for the stars. The story focuses heavily on trip preparation. Mouse charts the course while Milo revs up the rocket. A vertical bar on the cover's edge provides a 10-second timeline that corresponds to specific actions within scenes and doubles as the countdown to takeoff. A bold “BLASTOFF!” in fiery orange against the royal blue sky depicts the rocket jetting off the page; smaller letters celebrate: “And away they go!” A maplike schematic depicts the steps of their journey, connecting the ambitious (“Visit Saturn!”) to the outrageous (“Hello, Alien!”) with more businesslike steps in between (“Discover new galaxies. Repair the satellite”). The final spread includes a nod to an American pioneer of the great beyond: “It's one small step for Mouse, / one giant leap for Milo!” Fine, frequently dotted lines and busy spreads gear this for toddlers and up.

An amusing, imaginative launch into outer space. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: June 25, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-60905-208-9

Page Count: 18

Publisher: Blue Apple

Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
SUMMER SUPPER
by Rubin Pfeffer ; illustrated by Mike Austin

- BOOK REVIEW
HENNY, PENNY, LENNY, DENNY, AND MIKE
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Mike Austin

- BOOK REVIEW
RESCUE SQUAD NO. 9
by Mike Austin ; illustrated by Mike Austin

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
POUT-POUT FISH
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE POUT-POUT FISH AND THE MAD, MAD DAY
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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MERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE POOKIE

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer...

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Seven years after Little Pookie (2011) first appeared, this popular piglet is finally celebrating Christmas.

“Oh Pookie! Come look! It’s beginning to snow,” says a maternal-looking pig. But where did Pookie go? Past the Christmas tree, to put on a snowsuit of course. Pookie’s ever cheerful mama is willing to go out too. After all, “It’s a magical time to be walking with you.” When she observes, “Our noses are frozen. It’s time to go in,” Pookie protests in typical toddler style: “But I’m not c-c-c-cold!” The next three pages highlight indoor holiday preparations—making paper garlands, baking and decorating cookies. The rhyming text mirrors the spare illustrations. A spidery type that emulates handwriting makes it clear when Pookie is speaking. Then “the doorbell is ringing. / Our family and friends have arrived for the singing.” The second-to-last spread shows Pookie, mama, and six other pigs—and Boynton’s requisite chicken—singing (“Con brio”), “MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! MER-RY CHRIST-MAS! AND A HAP-PY NEW YEAR!” Conveniently, this text is placed beneath the musical notation. Finally Pookie hangs a stocking and goes off to bed without any fuss, anticipating presents on Christmas morning.

The small size, a predictable winter adventure, and Boynton’s very toddlerlike character make this a fine stocking stuffer or an ideal Christmas Eve read to share with other little piggies. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)