Charming, if not refreshingly original.
The new arrival in the neighborhood is Sam the homeless hedgehog, who has set off, Dick Whittington–style, with a bundle on a stick, to make his place in the world.
He soon finds the perfect home inside a hollow tree in a forest, with plenty of fruit to eat and cozy surroundings, but there’s only one drawback: He’s lonely. He searches and searches but can’t find any friends. He writes a lot of notes that he pins to trees with his broken quills. The animals find them and welcome him into their fold with open paws. A tired plot and somewhat clumsy narrative are alleviated by Nastanlieva’s charming colored-pencil–and-watercolor illustrations, which use a muted palette of browns and olives to give a traditional feel. Visual variety is added by alternating the color spreads with striking monochromatic illustrations to convey a storm and nighttime. Curious readers might wonder how Sam manages to write the notes, since the artwork gives no clue. This is just a quibble, though, as the illustrations have enough liveliness to keep children engaged and reveal to them what Sam misses for most of the story: The seemingly deserted woodland is full of potential friends. The animals’ speech is integrated into the illustrations, making a game of hide-and-seek for readers.
Charming, if not refreshingly original. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: April 27, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-927018-13-2
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Simply Read Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2013
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
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
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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
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)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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