This French import is both compassionate and useful.
Young animals learn life lessons in patience.
A young crocodile learns to wait while his sister plays with a toy airplane; a little bunny learns self-control on a long train ride; and a bear cub is hangry for dinner. Resolving the minidramas in six lines of text, caring parents help the children deal with their restlessness with Mr. Rogers–esque techniques, such as empathy, redirection, positive distraction, time management, and positive reinforcement. On the verso of each double-page spread, a child expresses their dissatisfaction solely through dialogue. On the recto, the grown-up suggests a coping strategy and, underneath, an image appears of the pair in the throes of the emotion. This illustration is split down the middle, and a panel slides out via pull-tab to reveal the resolution, with the denouement described below. While the tabs are sturdy, they are a bit stiff, and caregivers sharing this offering with their youngsters may need to assist with the reveal. The final spread appears to be a preschool or a day care, and little critters are being picked up by their corresponding grown-ups after their teacher praises them for their patience. The graphically close to simple art presents simplified scenes with boldly colored, big-eyed characters set against muted backgrounds. The pairs presented here represent solely parental relationships; there is no depiction of other types of family configurations. While some of these situations seem a bit too perfect, the lessons here are direct, and the playful pull-tabs will make them easy to digest.
This French import is both compassionate and useful. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-2-40801-994-5
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
Who knew that turning the pages could be the best part of a book?
The concept of this picture book is simple enough: 10 birds topple, slip, and dive their way off the titular twig until there is one left. The text itself echoes familiar singsong-y children’s rhymes like “Five Little Pumpkins.” While it mostly succeeds, there are some awkward spots: “5 on a twig, there used to be more… / SNAP! Don’t say a word, now there are four.” (On each page the number is both spelled out and represented as a numeral). The real scene stealer, however, is the book’s interplay between Cole’s illustrations and the physical pages themselves. In much the same way Eric Carle utilizes the pages in The Very Hungry Caterpillar to show the little critter eating its way through the week, Cole uses pages of increasing width to show how the twig grows shorter as each bird falls and marches off purposefully with the others, all headed toward verso with pieces of twig in their beaks. Stylistically, the book is captivating. The very colorful, egg-shaped birds appear on a single, thin black line on a stark white background. This backdrop stands in powerful contrast to the book’s final two pages, which are set against black negative space, a theme echoed in the book’s feather-print endpapers. The heavy, thick pages make it easy for little hands to participate. The text takes a back seat to the playful and compelling design, which is sure to delight readers.
Who knew that turning the pages could be the best part of a book? (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72821-593-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
A welcome message of appreciation for human (and animal!) bodies.
Animals’ physical features compared side by side with children’s.
This picture book compiles photographs of familiar animals along with similarly adorable kids. The simple, repetitive text has a singsong-y feeling: “Owl has eyes— / Big, round eyes. / Owl has eyes. / I do too!” A close-up of the owl’s face is paired with an image of a bespectacled, tan-skinned child looking up from an easel at the camera. Other pages compare showcase body parts like ears, nose, legs, and, of course, the titular belly. The images are detailed—one stunning picture even depicts the tiny insects stuck to a frog’s tongue midlick. The kids portrayed are diverse in terms of race and ability. The repeated refrain of “I do too!” invites readers to pick up the rhythm and to reflect on their own body parts. The book closes with a note about the importance of movement and body positivity for a child’s growth and development along with a list of suggested activities to try together. The format, repetition, and neutral observations make this a refreshing title among body books for toddlers and preschoolers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A welcome message of appreciation for human (and animal!) bodies. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77278-268-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Pajama Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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