It gets credit for the nonfiction content but does not otherwise leap to the front of the pod.
A narwhal finger puppet accompanies related facts in this compact board book.
Similar to predecessor Baby Raccoon (2020), this small and chunky board book offers different toddler-appropriate factoids about its subject, providing exposure to relevant words such as tusk. Little listeners might be surprised to learn that narwhals communicate by clicking and how they hold their breath “for a long time!” Keeping the book short with a simple sentence or two on each page maintains a swift and age-appropriate pace. The finger puppet itself is a cute gimmick, designed more for an adult’s finger than a child’s given the thickness of the book. Aside from having a tusk, the finger puppet doesn’t resemble a real narwhal. Its light blue body and sparkly purple tusk make it more akin to a unicorn than a whale (capitalizing on unicorn popularity, perhaps). This stands in contrast to the book’s otherwise informative, nonfiction tone. The accompanying illustrations are simple, extending a painted body for the protagonist from the puppet on each spread and endowing all the normal characters with googly eyes and smiles. But while this is a nice, informational text for a younger audience with a high-interest animal as its subject, the finger puppet adds little.
It gets credit for the nonfiction content but does not otherwise leap to the front of the pod. (Board book/novelty. 1-3)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7972-0565-6
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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