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DOGS DON'T WEAR GLASSES

Name: DOGS DON'T WEAR GLASSES
Author: Adrienne Geoghegan
ISBN: 1-56656-208-2

by Adrienne Geoghegan & illustrated by Adrienne Geoghegan ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 16, 1996

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Nanny Needles, readers discover in the pictures, needs glasses, but she places the blame for all the accidents around the house on her poor dog: When she dumps the trash on the floor, Seymour is reprimanded for his clumsiness; when she washes his blanket and bones instead of the laundry, she decides that Seymour needs a haircut to improve his eyesight. Finally, Seymour is dragged to the doctor, for glasses; the doctor reluctantly obliges. Nanny, donning the spectacles just ``to see how they look,'' discovers that they make things look much better. Geoghegan's debut makes good use of understatement and deadpan in the text to contrast with the events in the bright, bucolic crayon and watercolor pictures. Seymour, who resembles a bull terrier, is the epitome of woman's best, all-suffering friend. For preschoolers, satisfying silliness. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: April 16, 1996

ISBN: 1-56656-208-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Crocodile/Interlink

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1996

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
ALL YOUR OWN TEETH
by Adrienne Geoghegan & illustrated by Cathy Gale

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THE WIND PLAYS TRICKS

by Virginia Howard ; illustrated by Charlene Chua ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2019

For patient listeners, a fun visit to a mixed-up barnyard.

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When a fierce wind descends on the barnyard, the animals hear some odd noises…and they’re coming from their own mouths.

The sudden wind unsettles all the animals on the farm just when they should be getting ready for sleep. Instead, they anxiously “cheep” and “cluck” and “oink” and “quack” and “moooo.” They shift nervously, pull together, and make all sorts of noises. All except Turtle, who tucks into his shell under an old log and sleeps. In the morning, though, the animals get a surprise. Pig says, “Cluck”; the Little Chicks say, “Neigh”; Horse crows, “Cock-a-doodle-doo.” How will they get their proper sounds back? Turtle has an idea, and he enjoys the process so much that he decides to open his mouth the next time the wind plays tricks at the farm: Perhaps he’ll catch a sound all his own. Chua’s cartoon barnyard is bright, and her animals, expressive, their faces and body language slightly anthropomorphized. The edges of the figures sometimes betray their digital origins. Though the tale is humorous and will give lots of opportunity for practicing animal sounds, the audience is hard to pin down, as the young children sure to enjoy mooing and clucking may not have the patience to sit through the somewhat lengthy text.

For patient listeners, a fun visit to a mixed-up barnyard. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: March 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-8075-8735-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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FIND FERGUS

by Mike Boldt ; illustrated by Mike Boldt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 3, 2020

An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books.

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A young bear learns the nuance of blending into a crowd when playing a game of hide-and-seek.

Much like any naïve 3-year-old, Fergus, a brown bear with round, black eyeglasses, must first understand the concept of hiding. Whether out in the open or next to or behind a slender tree, Fergus is told he is easily found and must try again. The continual voice of the speaker is that of a kind, patient instructor as Fergus follows directions, presents various choices for hiding places, and works to improve strategy. “We’re going to help you,” says the narrator. “Start by hiding in a crowd.” In a group of small squirrels and rabbits, Fergus easily stands out, as he also does in crowds of large elephants or polar bears. Hiding among moose while sporting tree-branch antlers doesn’t quite do it either. Finally, Fergus, willing to keep at it, is able to successfully find concealment among a bunch of brown bears wearing a variety of facial expressions. Simple, black-line drawings augment Fergus’ efforts through each encouraging directive. Having mastered the idea, Fergus then hides within a large, diversified animal crowd splayed across a double gatefold to create a Where’s Waldo–like challenge featuring all the previous characters together. For the ultimate seek-and-find activity Fergus then challenges readers to search within the gatefold for a long list of items. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size; double gatefold viewed at 50% of actual size.)

An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books. (Picture book. 3-5)