Using simply drawn figures and pale, clear colors, Nash transforms a catalog of common car-window sights into something deliciously uncommon. “Everything goes past . . . fast,” a young observer notes, including cows: “A red cow under a green tree staring at a dog. Bow-wow, cow! A brown cow and a white cow asleep by a stream. Do they dream?” Innocuous enough—but that red cow is actually deep in a book, those snoozing cattle cradle a rod and reel while fish check out their bait can; other bovines gambol about waving a veil, schmooze over little cups of espresso, or, as night falls, gather fireflies in jars. Closing with a Good Night, Moon–style recap—“Good-bye, town. Good-bye, tree. Good-bye, barn. Good-bye, sea. And cows. . . . ”—as a cozy bed beckons at journey’s end, this will delight parents as much as preschoolers with its rhythmic language and whimsical twists. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-8037-2902-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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This charming, colorful counting tale of ten little fish runs full-circle. Although the light verse opens and closes with ten fish swimming in a line, page-by-page the line grows shorter as the number of fish diminishes one-by-one. One fish dives down, one gets lost, one hides, and another takes a nap until a single fish remains. Then along comes another fish to form a couple and suddenly a new family of little fish emerges to begin all over. Slick, digitally-created images of brilliant marine flora and fauna give an illusion of underwater depth and silence enhancing the verse’s numerical and theatrical progression. The holistic story bubbles with life’s endless cycle. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-439-63569-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2004
Categories: CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A rhyming celebration of imagination.
A child with brown skin offers gentle, artful ideas about what to do with autumn leaves. The picture book's idyllic setting seems Northeastern in nature, with deciduous trees shedding leaves, which the child scoops up. Could a leaf from a tree become a hat, a Halloween mask, a hammock, or something else entirely? "It could be a horn that blows, announcing that we're here. // A leafy parade to celebrate our favorite time of year." Rhyme rules the text but isn't forced in the least. Collaged leaves against painted illustrations encourage play and imagination. A nod to winter and spring make this a year-round read. Endpapers with realistic labeled images of leaves provide an injection of information in this otherwise dreamy musing. The backmatter includes instructions on collaging—a meaningful and fun activity that builds upon the text. While there's nothing groundbreaking here, there is opportunity for both learning and whimsy. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet, poetic ode to autumn. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30659-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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