Nori the kitten is having trouble falling asleep despite the late hour and the comfort of his bed. With his red shoulder bag in tow, and curious to see who else is awake, Nori ventures out to see what his friends Lotti Lamb, Henrietta Hen and Ella Elephant might be doing. Sympathetic to his problem, everyone has a bit of advice or something to share to help Nori fall asleep. But Petey Pig’s suggestion that Mr. Moon and the stars will tell him a bedtime story brings Nori home to bed where he falls asleep snuggled with his gifts and watched over by Mr. Moon and the twinkling stars. This German import captures the universal toddler bedtime issue in a clear, simple prose balanced by dark, deeply colored cartoon-style paintings of a black-and-white kitty and his assortment of cuddly animal friends. One more for the bedtime-routine shelf. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-698-40065-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Minedition/Penguin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2007
Who knew that turning the pages could be the best part of a book?
The concept of this picture book is simple enough: 10 birds topple, slip, and dive their way off the titular twig until there is one left. The text itself echoes familiar singsong-y children’s rhymes like “Five Little Pumpkins.” While it mostly succeeds, there are some awkward spots: “5 on a twig, there used to be more… / SNAP! Don’t say a word, now there are four.” (On each page the number is both spelled out and represented as a numeral). The real scene stealer, however, is the book’s interplay between Cole’s illustrations and the physical pages themselves. In much the same way Eric Carle utilizes the pages in The Very Hungry Caterpillar to show the little critter eating its way through the week, Cole uses pages of increasing width to show how the twig grows shorter as each bird falls and marches off purposefully with the others, all headed toward verso with pieces of twig in their beaks. Stylistically, the book is captivating. The very colorful, egg-shaped birds appear on a single, thin black line on a stark white background. This backdrop stands in powerful contrast to the book’s final two pages, which are set against black negative space, a theme echoed in the book’s feather-print endpapers. The heavy, thick pages make it easy for little hands to participate. The text takes a back seat to the playful and compelling design, which is sure to delight readers.
Who knew that turning the pages could be the best part of a book? (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72821-593-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
A welcome message of appreciation for human (and animal!) bodies.
Animals’ physical features compared side by side with children’s.
This picture book compiles photographs of familiar animals along with similarly adorable kids. The simple, repetitive text has a singsong-y feeling: “Owl has eyes— / Big, round eyes. / Owl has eyes. / I do too!” A close-up of the owl’s face is paired with an image of a bespectacled, tan-skinned child looking up from an easel at the camera. Other pages compare showcase body parts like ears, nose, legs, and, of course, the titular belly. The images are detailed—one stunning picture even depicts the tiny insects stuck to a frog’s tongue midlick. The kids portrayed are diverse in terms of race and ability. The repeated refrain of “I do too!” invites readers to pick up the rhythm and to reflect on their own body parts. The book closes with a note about the importance of movement and body positivity for a child’s growth and development along with a list of suggested activities to try together. The format, repetition, and neutral observations make this a refreshing title among body books for toddlers and preschoolers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A welcome message of appreciation for human (and animal!) bodies. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77278-268-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Pajama Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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