Although images and sentiments are appealing, treacly, nonsensical text causes this book to fall short of the mark.
Successive animals tell their little ones how much they are loved.
Soft-edged and baby-friendly illustrations depict nine pairs of animals—a parent and a young one—in a lightly anthropomorphized style. In the first double-page spread, the day begins and a bear holds a cub high up in the air. It will be this same pair that will close the book in the last spread as night falls. In between readers will find pairs of dogs, birds, seals, elephants, rabbits, lions, foxes, and turtles. Accompanying each spread, rhyming text describes the action taking place: “Hopping, skipping rabbits / play a game of chase, / then nestle down together / in a happy, golden place.” A second stanza goes on to say how much the baby is loved, though in most cases rhyming seems to be more important than making sense; “As bright as the meadow, where dandelions sway, / I love you more and more each day.” Or “As soft as the grass, spreading near and far, / I love you just the way you are.” For no apparent reason, though perhaps to go with the touchy-feely rhyme, each spread has a touch-and-feel element as well.
Although images and sentiments are appealing, treacly, nonsensical text causes this book to fall short of the mark. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58925-241-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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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