Beautiful in its simplicity, this book deserves a spot on any toddler’s bookshelf.
Toddlers can follow a black bird as it goes on a colorful expedition from yellow sun to fabled blue moon in this concept board book.
As the titular black bird goes from page to page it makes a striking contrast against the vibrantly colored objects it encounters along the way. Simple, declarative statements in large black type on each page identify the objects: “Black Bird / Purple Grapes // Black Bird / Green Grass // Black Bird / Red Snake.” The bird often interacts with its colorful surroundings, seeming about to pluck a grape and, perhaps, flying away from that red snake. In a departure from his recent line-heavy style for older readers (Lucky Lazlo, 2016, etc.), Light’s clear, uncomplicated illustrations are done in collage and by printing cardboard shapes with ink. The result is so wonderfully textural children will be tempted to touch, and adult readers and their young listeners may even be inspired to try their own hands at stamping with thick gooey paint. Observant readers will not fail to notice there is a small orange worm also making its way across the book. Once again, Light (Trucks Go, 2008, etc.) shows his understanding of the target age group.
Beautiful in its simplicity, this book deserves a spot on any toddler’s bookshelf. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9067-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring in alphabetical order.
Each page displays an enormous capital letter, one line of verse with the keyword capitalized, and a loving nonhuman parent gazing adoringly at their baby. “A is for Always. I always love you more. / B is for Butterfly kisses. It’s you that I adore.” While not named or labelled as such, the A is also for an alligator and its hatchling and B is for a butterfly and a butterfly child (not a caterpillar—biology is not the aim of this title) interacting in some way with the said letter. For E there are an elephant and a calf; U features a unicorn and foal; and X, keyed to the last letter of the animal’s name, corresponds to a fox and three pups. The final double-page spread shows all the featured creatures and their babies as the last line declares: “Baby, I love you from A to Z!” The verse is standard fare and appropriately sentimental. The art is cartoony-cute and populated by suitably loving critters on solid backgrounds. Hearts accent each scene, but the theme of the project is never in any doubt.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2095-6
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
