Readers are unlikely to want all 19 titles in the set, but one or two are fun for the moment.
A cute novelty element encourages caregiver-child interaction.
A finger poked through the opening at the back of the book makes an orange kitten puppet’s head emerge from a die-cut circle on each page. The built-in finger puppet is securely anchored on the back page. All the pages are extra thick to withstand the rough handling this toy disguised as a book may inspire. The ears of the kitten don’t automatically fit through the opening, so if multiple pages are turned by accident, it’s difficult to fit the kitten’s head back through to correct the mistake. This problem is even more pronounced in companion title Baby Goat because of the goat’s long ears. With each page turn the kitten’s lengthening neck becomes increasingly out of proportion with the rest of his body. The slight storyline follows the kitten through a busy day, beginning with waking up and ending with “Sweet dreams.” The text suggests an action for the finger puppet, as in “When Baby Kitten is happy, he makes a low purring sound.” Unfortunately, the next behavior—licking his fur “clean with his tongue”—is impossible to execute. Still, the finger puppet serves it purpose: to get caregivers to pause and play with words and sounds as they read to their very young children.
Readers are unlikely to want all 19 titles in the set, but one or two are fun for the moment. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-8172-1
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
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
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An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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