by Andrew Clements & photographed by Raquel Jaramillo ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 25, 2010
What are the handiest things in the world? Hands that hold dogs, hands that count, hands that pick up good foods to eat and hands that “[t]ap in rhythm, keep the beat.” But Clements makes the point that our oldest tools also lead to lots of other useful objects: dog leashes, calculators, chopsticks and drumsticks to name a few. In sprightly rhyme, especially after the wordy opening spread, the actions of children using their hands are followed on the opposite pages by their use of tools created for the same purpose. Jaramillo’s photos are a delight; the left-hand pages sometimes focus only on the hands and then the right-side photos pull back to show the child using another object. There is some ethnic diversity, but despite the “world” in the title, this is not a book about different countries. The end pages are composed of small squares arranged checkerboard-style, showing additional photos that relate to the images in the main text; these could be used to play an informal matching game. Pure fun that will spark young imaginations. (Informational picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: May 25, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4169-6166-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2010
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by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Mark Elliott
by Mac Barnett & illustrated by Adam Rex ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2009
A series of rollicking riddles with unexpected answers. In the first spread, the picture on the left apparently shows a rabbit in silhouette while the short verse on the right provides the clues: “He steals carrots... / His floppy ears are long and funny. / Can you guess who? That’s right! My….” Turn the page for the answer: “Grandpa Ned.” (Ned’s upside-down, with socks half-pulled off to resemble rabbit ears.) Grandpa Ned turns up twice more, as the answer to a riddle that seems to be about a cat and later as the setup answer to another riddle. The book’s four other riddles involve a pirate, snow creatures, a mouse hole and a dark cave. A lifting flap and a gatefold add tactile interest. Rex’s straightforward gouache-and–mixed-media illustrations downplay the mischief of the premise, appropriately lobbing visual softballs at an audience disoriented by the goof on a tried-and-true formula they’ve encountered over and over. In all, it’s a refreshing (albeit slight) spoof for jaded young readers who have aced easy Q&A books; some may find it too cool for the room. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5566-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2009
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by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Shawn Harris
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by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Jon Klassen
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by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Christian Robinson
by Chana Ginelle Ewing ; illustrated by Paulina Morgan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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