Hello kitty! Don’t miss this playful yet urbane combination of concept book and art book.
A pair of coy cats cleverly demonstrates various binary opposites.
Rarely are toddlers treated to such a refined concept board book, as two sleek cats, one black and one white, evocatively act out eight different sets of opposites. These are not darling cartoon cats; rather they are charismatic felines whose bodies slink and perch and lounge about, as when the white cat stretches its sinuous body out “long” while the black cat simultaneously curls into a “short,” compact ball. Efficiently covering oft-seen concepts like wet and dry (with one poor damp kitty and one dry, suspicious one) or awake and asleep, the book also veers into some lesser-seen sets, such as straight/curvy, with one cat tail hanging languidly and the other loopy and twitching. Lost/found, however, may not be so easy for toddlers to parse. Atmospheric multimedia art combines earthy linoprint backgrounds and collaged cats into a modern, toddler-friendly version of the famous Le Chat Noir poster, especially with its strikingly neutral cats placed against the boldly colored backgrounds. Within the cosmopolitan art, there are child-friendly elements and humor, like the ubiquitous small blue mouse toy that begs to be found or the naughty white cat calmly knocking a vase from a shelf or begging pathetically for the black cat’s dinner.
Hello kitty! Don’t miss this playful yet urbane combination of concept book and art book. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1031-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.
Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014
ISBN: 978-0451469786
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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