Though it has a bit of an identity crisis, this board book will be a useful addition to little readers' shelves.
See and name a plethora of objects, foods, and animals in this sunny, oversized board book.
Sitting somewhere between a traditional picture dictionary and a seek-and-find text, most pages are devoted to identifying labeled items that float in copious white space, but also included are four pages that invite readers to locate items from within a scene. Though both forms work, the seeking games are unpredictably spaced such that the book doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. Set against shiny white backgrounds, graphic representations are sorted into practical categories, such as “in the bathroom” or “animals,” all with strong potential for vocabulary-building. There’s a pleasing assortment of items depicted; a kitchen scene, for instance, includes a spoon and toaster but also a cookie jar and a cherry-red mixer. The illustrations lack subtlety and were created with primary colors and no shading. Though items are instantly identifiable, sometimes scale may confuse: A pig, for one, is portrayed as larger than an elephant. The seek-and-find pages, adjacent to the picture-dictionary pages, are sassier, full-bleed illustrations with busy, vividly colored backgrounds. Most items are fairly easy to locate, and a smattering of italicized typeset hints provide structure for the game.
Though it has a bit of an identity crisis, this board book will be a useful addition to little readers' shelves. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-60537-619-6
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
Just the ticket for the tot who’s applying early-early-early-early-early decision to Harvard; better hope the RAs will...
The melodramatic French novel of sin and redemption set against various backdrops of unrest is boiled down to 12 words.
Yep: 12. Words. This board book for the nascent genius begins with “poor,” includes such stirring language as “happy” and “climb” and ends with “together.” Perfectly adorable felt dolls posed against (mostly) three-dimensional backgrounds depict the characters displaying the emotions/characteristics or engaging in the actions described. “Rich” positions a prosperous-looking Jean Valjean in a blue frock coat in front of, presumably, his factory; turn the page to see a “sad” Cosette dressed in rags and wielding a broom, looking out a window. With or without significant interpolation (like, several hundred pages’ worth) from an adult, there is absolutely no way any baby chewing and drooling on this book will make the connection between those two figures and the now-adult Cosette and graying Jean Valjean out for a merry “stroll.” But forget the gaps in narrative; how many babies have yet wrapped their heads around the concepts of “rich” and “poor”? Publishing simultaneously, Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace delivers a similarly sweetly illustrated, ludicrous truncation.
Just the ticket for the tot who’s applying early-early-early-early-early decision to Harvard; better hope the RAs will change diapers. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-927018-21-7
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Simply Read
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Save young readers and would-be counters the frustration and don’t open these ineffective holiday packages.
Cuddlebear and his mama count his blessings in a candy-coated world.
This anthropomorphic bear counts from one to 10 the things (friends, family, food, home, etc.) he is thankful for in the lightly Thanksgiving-themed scenes. There are one or two flaps per page of various sizes that open to reveal a variety of images behind doors, windows, cupboards, rocks and more. An additional flap on the page has a numeral on the outside and provides an invitation on the interior to count various objects of said quantity on the page. Many of these objects are so small that they are impossible to locate and are blurry in the too-detailed, overbusy art. The sister book, Countdown to Christmas (978-1-4027-9983-9), reverses the process and takes readers from 10 to one as Little Reindeer eagerly counts off the days to Christmas. Again, the flaps on each page reveal elves and various critters getting ready for the big day at Santa’s workshop. Numbers are written on flaps shaped like Christmas-tree ornaments, and below these flaps readers are encouraged to pinpoint various items. Again, many of these objects (particularly paint cans and snowballs) are difficult to find. Both the art and the text drip sentimentality.
Save young readers and would-be counters the frustration and don’t open these ineffective holiday packages. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4027-9982-2
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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