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HIDE-AND-SEEK

Name: HIDE-AND-SEEK
Author: Shasha Lv
ISBN: 978-1-4521-8359-6

From the Little Snail series

by Shasha Lv ; illustrated by Shasha Lv ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021

Board books this much fun can be hard to find. Make sure to seek it out.

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Mischievous Little Snail returns, this time to play an unexpectedly sneaky game of hide-and-seek.

In an engaging return for the friends introduced in Time To Go Home (2020), Bear searches the classroom, this time depicted in a cozy color palette of mustard yellow, stone blue, and navy. Bear locates hidden friends from Little Mouse, crouching among a selection of sippy cups, to Little Turtle, whose shell admirably imitates a large leaf. Toddler readers will adore searching alongside Bear, scanning the spare, lino-printed pages to find the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle clues. What child—or piglet—hasn’t tried the hiding-behind-the-curtains trick? Little Cat’s hiding spot is devilish, but once it’s revealed, little ones will enjoy going back to see what they missed. Eventually, all the friends but Little Snail are found. Brief but evocative dialogue moves the plot right along, and tension builds as the lively animal children giggle. They know what’s up, and suddenly, viewers do too: Little Snail is slyly camouflaged in the decorative spirals of Bear’s chunky blue sweater! It’s an absolute hoot to watch Snail “whoosh” back into the shell just in time, leaving a confused Bear to address readers: “Have YOU seen Little Snail?” Quirky, rounded prints add to the jovial feel and are artistic simplicity at its finest.

Board books this much fun can be hard to find. Make sure to seek it out. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-4521-8359-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME TO GO HOME
by Shasha Lv ; illustrated by Shasha Lv

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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.

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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

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ANIMAL SHAPES

by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.

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You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!

What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)