The offering would have been better served in a larger picture-book edition with more pages to allow the delightful...
Two toddlers, one costumed as a bunny and another like a bee, are the best of friends.
The duo lives in a tidy treehouse, enjoys milk and honey, and plays together in all sorts of weather. Doling out one line per page, the gentle rhyming text states: “On sunny days, they swing in the trees. / On windy days they chase the leaves. // On rainy days they splash in the puddles. / On cold, cold days they have lots of cuddles.” While nothing much happens in this slice-of-life tale, toddlers will delight in the world Williams has built for the twosome. Bee wears a striped outfit with wings and antennae, and Bunny is clad in a rusty brown ensemble that sports rabbit ears. While there is never a parent in sight, the cozy pencil-and-watercolor cartoons in autumnal tones will make readers feel that Bunny and Bee are perfectly safe. Some of the double-page spreads that use a series of spot-art vignettes are difficult to make out due to the tiny size of the images. The pacing also feels rushed at times, particularly as Bunny and Bee are engaged in very active play on one page and then rushed off to bed on the next.
The offering would have been better served in a larger picture-book edition with more pages to allow the delightful illustrations and the simple story room to breathe. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-907967-63-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Boxer Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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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