Eclectic and effective—this board book is the cat’s meow.
As a bevy of colored cats arrive one by one, small die-cut windows burst into color.
In this Catalonian import, a simply outlined white house waits for a prismatic collection of feline friends to return home. On the verso, readers meet and glimpse the cat that’s heading indoors; with a page turn, that cat disappears and another brightly colored die-cut window illuminates, letting readers know that kitty has made it safely inside. Using a soothing conversational tone that’s ideal for bedtime reading, the omniscient narrator cozily describes the domestic scene that awaits each cat—Little Brown Cat, for instance, returns “to a big warm bed in the big white house!”—before bidding each goodnight. It all culminates in a snuggly final page showing the kitties all bedded down. Each cat is introduced with a colored typeset, helping children predict what color window will appear next, and the cat’s names vary, with both basic monikers like Little Pink Cat and those with pizzazz, like Little Lime-Green Cat, allowing the text to be predictable without feeling formulaic. Ironically, the roughly silhouetted cats are the weakest part of the book, and the rainbow colors are somewhat muddied, though they’re still striking in the windows. Made of durable cardboard, the die-cut pages are sturdy and will hold up to enthusiastic fingers.
Eclectic and effective—this board book is the cat’s meow. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4521-8213-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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
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BOOK REVIEW
In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.
Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014
ISBN: 978-0451469786
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
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