An idyllic and idealized portrait of rural America, preserved in ink and paint rather than amber
A cozy board book is as traditional as “traditional” can be.
“On a little old farm… // In a little old house… // A little old lady flips two eggs from a pan, / as the toast pops up for her little old man.” The book goes on to enumerate the various farm activities this gray-haired white couple engages in. The little old man tends livestock and crops, while the little old lady works in her kitchen garden and cooks; throughout, a brown corgi and a tiger cat supervise. Wisnewski’s rhythmic verse rolls along with pleasing inevitability, the final line of each page of text (always on verso) ending with a turn-prompting ellipsis that takes readers to the next bucolic scene. These are presented in round medallions that take up the whole of each 6-inch-square recto, with complementary accents (pairs of red socks with the laundry scene, sprigs of blueberries with the pie-baking scene) in each corner. Although this farm is not free of relatively modern technology, those few items that do exist (an old enameled gas stove, a mid-20th-century red tractor) reinforce the sense of time gone by. The book ends with the four principals “fast asleep,” the corgi tucked in between little old man and little old lady and the cat curled up on the covers.
An idyllic and idealized portrait of rural America, preserved in ink and paint rather than amber . (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 30, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-56792-594-4
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Godine
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
Sure to prompt little fingers into joyful action.
A favorite baby-and-toddler activity receives an upbeat celebration that will get those fingers going. Watch out!
The gang of frazzled felines that populate this outing are truly the cat's meow. Based on Boynton's song of the same title, the text is reproduced in a colored, patterned font that amps the energy right up. A forlorn little kitty, paws clasped in front of his body, appears anxious (though slightly intrigued) when a trio of toms encourages him to join in the fun. “Gitchy-gitchy / Goo Gotta / Ready, Set, Go!” It doesn't take long before the cautious cat jumps in on this chorus line with dramatic leaps and fluttering fingers. A little birdie acts as a square-dance caller, enunciating each beat (“Goo bop. / Gitchy-goo bop”). The shaggy, large-nosed felines are tremendously expressive in their synchronized movements and maintain a rollicking pace. “We can tickle high. / We can tickle low. / We can tickle QUICKQUICKQUICK / as fast as we can go!” (Here, the page is filled with iterations of "gitchy gitchy gitchy" in different colors.) At the end, the gang sprawls on the floor, exhausted, after a truly monumental tickle-fest.
Sure to prompt little fingers into joyful action. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7611-6883-6
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An Australian import tackles manners for the very young.
A little girl takes her stuffed cat and rabbit, along with her pet hedgehog, on an idyllic picnic. Each double-page spread sets up a statement or question (“Would you like to hold my hand?") that advances the day's events with an accompanied, expected answer ("Yes, please!"). Brief phrases in direct, appropriate language serve each natural page turn. Though the "Yes, please!" response never changes, the toys and youngster take turns directing and accepting requests. A soft sweetness—there's no hint of saccharine—nurtures the child's maturing independence as she organizes the festivities with absolutely no adult involvement (or any conflict to be seen). Respectful conversations between the preschooler and her friends appear fresh and unforced. The playthings' full-force involvement sets the creative stage; her dressed pals rifle through the basket, nibble on sandwiches and dip their toes in the water. Minimal backgrounds and pastel borders keep the focus on the action at hand. Slight alterations to facial expressions highlight a quiet reflection. A companion piece, I Can Say Thank You, follows a similar route as the friends explore their surroundings.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-61067-037-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
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