edited by Stephanie Maze ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2001
The bonds of maternal love exist in the animal world as well as in the human one, touchingly illustrated by the double-paged photographs in this attractively designed work ideal for reading to a group. Each spread shows a photo of an animal mother caring for her baby in some way, with a total of 14 different animals interacting with their young. A brightly colored border around each shows that particular adult animal in a repeated silhouette pattern, with similar silhouettes repeated on bright gold endpapers. The simple text with rich, active vocabulary gives one sentence per spread following the same pattern of animal subject, caring action, and a descriptive phrase. (“A crocodile carries her babies carefully in her powerful jaws.”) Each sentence is printed in large, yellow type with the animal word distinguished in slightly larger, white type. Preschoolers will be fascinated by these spectacular photographs, including amazing views of a young pelican eating fish from the mother’s open mouth and an absolutely irresistible shot of a baby hippopotamus seeming to smile while splashing next to its mother. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-9707768-0-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2001
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edited by Stephanie Maze & photographed by Renée Comet
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edited by Stephanie Maze
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edited by Stephanie Maze
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016
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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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph
by Christopher Silas Neal ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2018
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
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More by Kate Messner
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by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
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by Sneed B. Collard III ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
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by Jody Jensen Shaffer ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
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