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CHARLIE BUILDS

Name: CHARLIE BUILDS
Author: Bob Bianchini
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2540-1

BRIDGES, SKYSCRAPERS, DOGHOUSES, AND MORE!

by Bob Bianchini ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017

Father/son construction projects have never been more tender.

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Charlie and his dad build sand castles, bridges, towers, and more together.

The duo, both of whom are white, live in the suburbs and build a variety of structures, from Lego garages for toy cars to play “igloos” in winter to a doghouse for pet Rocky, both indoors and out. Charlie’s friends, who also appear to be white, get in on the action and jump into a pile of autumn leaves his dad has collected. Each double-page spread offers one-half of a serviceable, rhymed couplet describing Charlie’s constructions. The standout here is Bianchini’s cheerfully retro, thick-lined art, done in muted greens, blues, and reds. Charlie clearly loves all his projects, and his dad obviously dotes on the boy. The final spread shows the pair enjoying their “favorite building,” a blanket/pillow fort where they can share a book (appropriately titled Big Buildings) together.

Father/son construction projects have never been more tender. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4197-2540-1

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Abrams Appleseed

Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
CHARLIE RIDES
by Bob Bianchini ; illustrated by Bob Bianchini

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PEPPA'S GIANT PUMPKIN

From the Peppa Pig series

by Samantha Lizzio ; illustrated by eOne ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2019

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.

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Peppa hopes to join her classmates in a Halloween pumpkin competition in this adaptation of a story from the popular British television program Peppa Pig.

With the help of Granny and Grandpa Pig, Peppa turns her giant pumpkin, which is the size of a compact car, into a jack-o’-lantern. The trio is flummoxed when it comes time to transport the pumpkin to the competition, so they call on Miss Rabbit and her helicopter to airlift the pumpkin to the festivities as Peppa and her grandparents ride inside. Peppa arrives just in time for the contest and wins the prize for best flying pumpkin. The scenes look as if they are pulled directly from the television show, right down to the rectangular framing of some of the scenes. While the story is literally nothing new, the text is serviceable, describing the action in two to three sentences per page. The pumpkin-shaped book and orange foil cover will likely attract youngsters, whether they are Peppa fans or not.

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: July 30, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-33922-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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HELLO ROBOTS!

From the Hello…! series

by Joan Holub ; illustrated by Chris Dickason ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2019

Good for a giggle from preschool readers despite its slight imperfections.

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A brightly illustrated story told in rhyme about mixed-up robots getting ready for the day.

Holub and Dickason team up for another title echoing the style of their similarly formatted Hello Knights! and Hello Ninjas! (both 2018). Here, the titular robots are having trouble getting ready for the day. They put socks on top of shoes and even forget how to eat their cereal, pouring milk on their heads and flipping their bowls upside down on the table. The confusion comes to a climax in a double gatefold in which the robots realize that they need a reboot, correcting their routines. Young readers will delight in the silliness: underpants on heads, bathing in clothes. Holub’s rhyming text works well for the most part and includes some charming turns of phrase, such as “brushing bolts” in place of brushing teeth. Dickason’s illustrations use a consistent palette of mostly primary colors and feature 1960s-style robots drawn with antennae, motherboards on boxy chests, and wheels for feet. The pages are busy and packed, allowing for new discoveries upon each read, though this busyness argues for use with older toddlers. It’s not entirely clear where the robots are headed (school?) or whether or not they’re also ETs (they fly away on a spaceship), but the story is fun enough to overlook those muddled details.

Good for a giggle from preschool readers despite its slight imperfections. (Board book. 2-4)