It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there; kids need to learn how to count in order to survive.
Count from one to 10 with this nimble concept creation.
One tiny fish with a bright red tail swims all alone. A sandy ocean landscape lines the bottom, with swirls of blue covering most of the spread. The text is spare: “1 one lonely fish….” But a flip of the page (featuring a clever triangular snip from the recto page’s edge) suddenly shows a new fish, mouth open wide, swimming right behind the first one! Now there are “2 two fish.” The next page, with an even larger triangular snip, brings a still bigger fish to the aquatic parade, this one with pointy teeth, ready to chomp. “3 three fish.” (Alas, the paper engineering falters a bit: the final, smallest page turn does not fully conceal the text from the previous fish's spread.) Assuredly designed to appeal to toddlers, this spry page-turner has minimal text, bold numerals, and varied, colorful fish, all pleasingly lined up by increasing size. The ocean floor stays constant, with the exception of two crab friends: one scuttles about (while growing increasingly worried), and one naps through most of the action. Anticipation rather than narration propels each page turn, and the repeated practice of counting every time a new fish is added is sure to delight youngsters. One comically big gulp at the end makes everything come full circle.
It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there; kids need to learn how to count in order to survive. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68119-201-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery.
A troop of cats traverse a spooky landscape as they make their way to a party hosted by ghosts.
Each double-page spread shows the felines’ encounters with the likes of an owl, jack-o’-lanterns or a bat. One or two of these creepy meetings may be too abstract for the youngest readers, as the cats hear eerie noises with no discernible source on the page. The text, which consists of one rhyming couplet per scene, mostly scans despite a couple of wobbles: “Five black cats get a bit of a scare / As the flip-flapping wings of a bat fill the air.” The sleek, slightly retro art, likely created using a computer, depicts the cats cavorting at night through a shadowy cityscape, the countryside and a haunted house; they may scare some toddlers and delight others. A brighter color palette would have given the project a friendlier, more universal appeal. Luckily, the well-lit, final party scene provides a playful conclusion.
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-611-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween.
This board book twists the traditional “Teeny Tiny” tale into a less-scary Halloween treat.
This version uses a singsong-y rhythm and cadence to tell the story. “In the teeny tiny barn / Of a teeny tiny house... / Lived a teeny tiny ghost / and a teeny tiny mouse.” Of course the ghost (being teeny tiny) is not very frightening. “But the determined little ghost / Let her mighty courage through / And with a teeny tiny breath / She said a teeny tiny: boo.” Spoiler alert: After just seven page turns the ghost and mouse become friends: “And now the teeny tinies play / In the teeny tiny house. / Just a teeny tiny ghost / And her best friend, mouse.” Pumpkins decorate the cover and final spread and illustrations throughout are in autumnal hues. The fairly high-for-the-format word count—19 to 21 words per page—may be more than toddlers will sit still for, but the “teeny tiny” repetition and rhymes will help. The size (just 6 inches square) makes using the book with a group a challenge, but with a lap-sitting child, it’ll be a pleasure.
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-31848-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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