For settings that can’t get enough of farm-animal board books
Yet another board book designed to introduce farm animals to young children.
The twist in this offering, a follow-up to Night-Night Forest Friends (2013), is that initially the animals are asleep. Readers meet them as the sun rises over idyllic farm scenes rendered digitally in ink and paint. The first spread is quite dark, with a haloed sun that goes from beige to deep purple as the concentric arcs move up the page. A dark red barn sits on a hill above gray-green rolling meadows. Subsequent pages employ the same muted palette in ever lighter shades. Each spread features a standard farm animal: ducks, dogs, sheep, pigs, cows, horses, with chickens and a cartoonish rooster occupying two spreads. The surprising addition of llamas on the fourth spread is apt as domesticated llamas become more common in North America. This must be a free-range farm; the second-to-last spread shows all the animals on both sides of a pasture fence. The final illustration mimics the opening spread, with the animals in the fields and a yellow sun in the sky. Rhyming text identifies each animal and hints at its habits, with some artistic license: How sheep would open a gate, as they are urged to do, is unclear. Although the wake-up motif is fairly fresh, it’s not enough to make this book top of the crop.
For settings that can’t get enough of farm-animal board books . (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 8, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-8624-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)
The bunnies that inhabit Boynton’s colorful world put on a musical show for the other animals.
The rabbits have taken over the theater. They dance and sing, bragging about their long ears and twitchy noses for the pigs and chickens in the audience. The rhythmic chorus—“We are ten terrific rabbits and we like to dance and sing. / Ten terrific rabbits. We can do almost anything”—is mighty infectious. The author’s trademark wit and humor are on full display as the other animals dress up like bunnies and join the massive grand finale. The barnyard cast forms a musical troupe that amuses and delights. Adults will appreciate the clever sight gags, and small children will appreciate the tasteful boasting and empowering jingle. While it’s not as complete a vehicle for inculcating emergent language skills as many of Boynton’s other books, there’s no denying it’s got verve.
A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7611-8060-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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