This joyous story impressively invokes a toddler’s love for his distant Grandma. They have a very special relationship carried out primarily by phone. When the little narrator was a baby, he says, his Grandma came to visit and taught him the pat-a-cake rhyme. Then he could only say “Patta patta, rolla rolla.” Now they have a cherished ritual: “when Grandma calls on the phone, she still says, ‘Patta patta.’ ‘Rolla rolla,’ I say.” He points out that though grandma lives too far away to give him real kisses and hugs, “ . . . she puts lots of X kisses and O hugs in her letters.” So when Grandma writes that she is coming for a visit, he can hardly wait. When the day finally arrives, he is surprised to find that it feels so strange. She looks like grandma, but different, and though she offers a “Patta patta,” she sounds just a little wrong and too shy of her, he can’t bring himself to respond. The boy soon figures out what he needs to smooth the transition and with grandma sitting right next to him, he pretends to call her on the phone. It isn’t long before they are thoroughly enjoying the visit, this time with real hugs and kisses. For so many children whose favorite family members live far away, Hines (Whistling, below, etc.) handles this issue with style, never forgetting to give kids credit for solving problems. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-7636-1237-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2003
None
She’s up; she’s down. She’s plain; she’s fancy (very fancy), because Olivia the piglet is definitely a star character with a firm sense of style. Her creator has fashioned a clever and quite successful explanation of the concept of opposites, presented in board format with laminated pages. In just six pairs of opposites, he shows contrasts in motions, sound, and appearance, with lots of action and humor to make both preschoolers and their parents smile. Olivia zips onto the page on her scooter to illustrate “coming,” and then zooms right off the next page with a handstand on the scooter handles to demonstrate “going.” In another delightful pairing, Olivia is “quiet,” while a lion from her circus days is “loud,” and on the next page, it’s Olivia who is loud, and the lion that is quiet and meek. The final word pair shows Olivia’s mouth wide “open” and then “closed,” echoing the parallel construct of an open and closed book. Falconer (Olivia Counts, above, etc.) again uses charcoal and gouache for his illustrations, creating a sophisticated palette of gray, black, and white with Olivia’s favorite bright red for her clothing and accessories. Surely Olivia needs to learn her alphabet and identify colors beyond red next. Have we had enough of Olivia? Quite the opposite. (Board book. 2-4)
None NonePub Date: June 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-689-85088-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Anne Schwartz/Random
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2002
IN THE NEWS
As this story reveals, dressing a toddler can be like performance art. “This is the baby who hates to be dressed.” The buoyant text repeats and builds on itself: “This is the diaper, often a mess, that goes on the baby who hates to be dressed.” Meanwhile, we watch Mom as she wrestles, cajoles, tumbles about, and lovingly hams it up (she wears shoes on her head). When presented with the likes of thick socks and an itchy sweater, the youngster wails, “No! No! Nooo!” At last he’s dressed; mom slumps and baby pouts. So, the little whippersnapper sets about to undo all that has been donned. When Mom reappears, bundled up, baby is at last gleeful—and naked as a jay bird. Great for the youngest toddler who’s learning names of clothing. The undressing part, though, seems to be instinct. The illustrations are lively, depicting the roly-poly tot with cheer. The colors span a broad range of super-bright paints using purples and greens to great advantage. This baby is a fun, giggly romp. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2004
ISBN: 0-374-37486-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Melanie Kroupa/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2004
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