Colorful, kid-friendly fun—and Momo! What more could readers want? (Board book. 2-5)
Books, blog, Instagram, and Facebook—where else can readers find Momo?
Momo, the black-and-white border collie, is back in his third hide-and-seek board book, and he is still a lot of fun to find on each page. Using a format similar to his previous two board books, author and photographer Knapp (Find Momo Coast to Coast, 2015) has Momo hiding in an enjoyable variety of settings, including a play set in a backyard, the corner of a library, in a barnyard, in a kitchen, and in a preschool. On each verso page are four color photographs of what readers should be looking for, each labeled underneath in uppercase letters—Momo, of course, along with three common objects that are to be found in the photograph on the opposite page. Objects include a red pail, a yellow rain boot, a clock, a steel watering can, and a blue birdhouse. This is an enjoyably challenging way for young children to learn the names of familiar household and outdoor objects as well as colors. Some of the objects found are in a different orientation from the one that is shown; the gardening fork is shown vertically on verso and horizontally on the right, which makes them occasionally difficult to spot. Similar in mission to the I Spy or Where’s Waldo books for this age group, the excellent photography’s artful compositions, including the hidden Momo, make it a lot more entertaining.
Colorful, kid-friendly fun—and Momo! What more could readers want? (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-59474-958-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Overall, disappointing.
A bunny, a kitten, a puppy, and a chick travel along lightly textured, color-coded “finger trails” displayed against white backgrounds in this busy addition to the Follow the Trail series.
An introductory spread instructs, “Use your finger to follow the trails,” while text points out when the path proceeds straight, loops, or zigzags. Shapes the reader will encounter on later pages are introduced, as well as the die-cut circle that foreshadows the animal that will be featured on the next page, a semiregular feature. The final spread serves as review, with the ribbons of color entwined. The four spreads in between—one for each animal—are dotted with animal facts and words of encouragement along the path that each animal follows to reach its toy or food. Some words in bold give directions; others are nouns, adjectives, and the animal’s sounds. Each animal is represented by a mix of photos and small graphics along its colored path. Farm, published simultaneously, uses the same formula to introduce a tractor, a hen and chicks, a cow and sheep, and piglets. With minimal information, these board books are unlikely to engage beginning readers, while the surfeit of required skills, confusing layout, and complex vocabulary are not appropriate for kids who need sturdy board books.
Overall, disappointing. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4654-6562-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Lovely, if a bit frustrating.
The double meaning of the title of this French import will likely be lost on young readers who do not know that “plume” means “feather,” since “Plume” is the name of the black cat who stalks mysteriously through the pages, clearly with evil designs on the birds portrayed.
As with her earlier picture book Blue Hour (2017), Simler portrays her subject matter—birds and their feathers—in finely rendered, realistic detail. However, the birds chosen are not always specifically named, and many species are not found in North America, lessening the book’s appeal for readers on this continent. For example, the nuthatch, jay, and kingfisher featured in the book are Eurasian species, so there is little chance of a child in the U.S. finding one of these feathers or being able to identify them. A gull is simply identified as “Seagull,” likewise for the highly stylized owl; the “Eagle” is clearly a bald eagle. The attractiveness of the illustrations compensates in large part for these flaws. The black cat’s presence is charmingly hinted at in each illustration, sometimes just as an ear, a tail, or a whisker peeking from the edge of the spread, sometimes almost hidden behind the bird. On the last spread, Plume is completely visible, clutching a feather and saying innocently, “Oh…me? / I collect feathers… //…because I love overstuffed pillows. / I am a dreamer cat. / They call me Plume.”
Lovely, if a bit frustrating. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5492-6
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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