by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes & illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2001
Billy is growing up and out of his crib in this issue-specific story. The little tyke enjoys shopping with his parents for a new big-boy bed, but when it is installed in his room, he’s very reluctant to move out of his crib. It’s in his crib, after all, where he can play bus driver and pirate captain. But most of all, his crib is the reliable safe-haven where he and his six teddy bears cozy in for the night. As Billy grows into the idea his first step is to gradually move his teddy bears to the new, bigger bed. It isn’t too long, however, before Billy himself makes the move. Throughout, Billy’s parents have shown gentle patience in the face of Billy’s ambivalence. They let him get used to the idea at his own pace. In a way that the words do not, Tildes’s (Baby Face, not reviewed, etc.) artwork will draw children in. They can’t help but enjoy the array of teddy bears, each charmingly unique. Drawn with a loving hand, the watercolor illustrations are gentle and realistic; Billy’s expressive face is adorable. This piece seems aimed at parents, instructing them on how best to deal with a child’s reluctance to change. It lacks any real story power, and toddlers may find it less than engrossing—but those who can apply the bed scenario to other life challenges will relate with Billy as he finds that growing up can be daunting. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-57091-475-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2002
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More by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
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by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes ; illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
BOOK REVIEW
by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes ; illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
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by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes ; illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
by Elizabeth Spurr ; illustrated by Manelle Oliphant ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2016
A gentle outing for children who are ready for stories of everyday life rather than just objects to name.
A brief rhyming board book for toddlers.
Spurr's earlier board books (In the Garden and At the Beach, both 2012; In the Woods, 2013) featured an adventuresome little boy. Her new slice-of-life story stars an equally joyful little girl who takes pleasure in flying a new kite while not venturing far off the walkway. Oliphant's expressive and light-filled watercolors clearly depict the child's emotions—eager excitement on the way to the park, delight at the kite's flight in the wind, shock when the kite breaks free, dejection, and finally relief and amazement. The rhymes work, though uneven syllable counts in some stanzas interrupt the smooth flow of the verse. The illustrations depict the child with her mass of windblown curls, brown skin, and pronounced facial features as African-American. Her guardian (presumably her mother) is also brown-skinned. It is refreshing to see an African-American family settled comfortably in a suburban setting with single-family homes and a park where the family dog does not need to be leashed.
A gentle outing for children who are ready for stories of everyday life rather than just objects to name. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-56145-854-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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by Elizabeth Spurr ; illustrated by Manelle Oliphant
BOOK REVIEW
by Elizabeth Spurr ; illustrated by Manelle Oliphant
BOOK REVIEW
by Elizabeth Spurr ; illustrated by Manelle Oliphant
adapted by Stephen Carpenter & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 1998
In this entry in the Growing Tree series, the publisher copyrights the text, while Carpenter provides illustrations for the story; here, the three billy goats named Gruff play on a nasty troll’s greed to get where the grass is greenest. Logic has never been the long suit of this tale: Instead of letting the two smaller billy goats be terrorized by the mean and ugly troll, children wonder, why doesn’t the biggest billy goat step in sooner? It’s still a good introduction to comparatives, and the repetitiveness of the story invites participation. The artwork matches the story: The characters are suitably menacing, quivering, or stalwart, and the perspectives allow readers to be right there in the thick of the action. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: June 30, 1998
ISBN: 0-694-01033-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1998
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by Bruce Lansky & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter
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