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MS. RACHEL AND THE SPECIAL SURPRISE

ENCOURAGING SPEECH AND LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND MUSIC

A fun, familiar, interactive tale that will especially resonate with the author’s many fans.

Popular YouTuber Ms. Rachel tells a story of searching for a surprise in this song-filled picture book.

Wearing her signature pink shirt, headband, and overalls, Ms. Rachel invites readers to help her find something really special. Encountering a series of boxes, she speculates as to what could be inside, opens them, and discovers various objects, among them a yellow school bus, a pretend piece of bubble gum, and a teddy bear. Though none of them are what she’s looking for, each one prompts Ms. Rachel to sing a song and engage with readers. Ultimately, she’s seeking a mirror to see the reader’s smile: “You are so special because you’re you! Remember, you’re a great kid!” Ms. Rachel’s fuzzy orange friend Herbie makes an appearance, providing help when she’s frustrated. The book contains plenty of singing, clapping, and animal sounds, all of which makes it ideal for young toddlers. The simple, colorful illustrations work well with the interactive elements. While not much sets this tale apart from similar titles, Ms. Rachel’s popularity and the age-appropriate content make for an appealing read. The final page includes “Ms. Rachel’s Tips for Language and Brain Development!”—a list of activities aimed at adults, among them narrating one’s day and creating routines.

A fun, familiar, interactive tale that will especially resonate with the author’s many fans. (Picture book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024

ISBN: 9780593811252

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024

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I LOVE YOU MORE, BABYSAUR

From the Punderland series

Not a great choice for the youngest dinosaur lovers.

A board-book ode to parental love as old as the dinosaurs.

A line of text on the left of each spread reads like a dinosaur-themed valentine that a third grader might choose, with punishingly punny wordplay that incorporates dinosaur-related words. On the facing page a dinosaur pair—a baby and an adult—gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes against whimsical, pastel-hued prehistoric-ish backgrounds. In smaller print, in all caps, at the bottom of the left page is the scientific name for the dinosaur referenced by the text and picture followed by a helpful phonetic pronunciation guide. White-outlined footprints appear next to their names, though the white is sometimes difficult to see against the pastel pages. Ten of the best-known dinosaurs are included. Twisting the dinosaur names to fit the loving sentiments succeeds some of the time but more often results in tortured text, well beyond the understanding of the board book audience. The line accompanying two hugging velociraptors, for instance, is just confusing: “Wrap-TOR arms around me, / with you I’ll always stay.” Others are just plain clumsy: “I-wanna-GUANODON you kisses, / I truly just adore you.” Very young children, even those fascinated by dinosaurs, will not get it. Older dinosaur fans will be put off by the babyish format.

Not a great choice for the youngest dinosaur lovers. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-7282-2295-0

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland

Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

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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