bookshelf

FLY WITH THE BIRDS

Name: FLY WITH THE BIRDS
Author: Richard Edwards
ISBN: 0-531-09491-X

by Richard Edwards & illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1996

bookshelf

A day in the life of an imaginative girl, told in singsong. Readers rise with her, get snarled in a traffic jam, go on a picnic, hoe a row, patrol the house, and slip off to bed. Each episode features a foldout page—full of labeled objects—that gives a fantastical twist to the last line of the verse on that spread: ``Stuck in the traffic/we creep and we crawl,/Buses and cars hardly moving at all,/So closing my eyes,/I say/two magic words/Hey, presto! A bus that can fly with the birds!''). The rhyme is buoyant and lilting and readers are sure to admire a girl who'd rather go spelunking with moles than weed another inch of the garden, or who orders thunder, snow, and rain with her picnic instead of just soaking up the sun. Edwards (The Forest Child, 1995, etc.) makes his book almost insistently edifying, particularly when the items in each scene are laid out and identified; it fractures the whimsical wordplay. Kitamura's bee-busy, lighthearted illustrations prevent the exercise from becoming too professorial; his trademark clutter will keep children poring over the pages. (Picture book. 2-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 1996

ISBN: 0-531-09491-X

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Orchard

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE MONKEY’S ONE SAFE PLACE
by Richard Edwards & illustrated by Susan Winter

- BOOK REVIEW
GOOD NIGHT, COPYCUB
by Richard Edwards & illustrated by Susan Winter

- BOOK REVIEW
ALWAYS COPYCUB
by Richard Edwards & illustrated by Susan Winter

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

HAPPY EASTER, LITTLE POOKIE

From the Little Pookie series

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2023

An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.

bookshelf

Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.

Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)