The targeted diaperati will likely be similarly enervated by this bland open house.
A ginger cat introduces young viewers to his personal house and world.
“I am Jim. // This is my house.” Starting from the tree outside, this feline tour guide jumps to the roof, then down to ground level to climb in a window, sit in a rocker in “my living room,” and stroll from kitchen to bedroom to bathroom and litter box. A noise at the door leads to an introduction to Jane, who “makes my dinner,” and then it’s back to the tree for a final survey of the suburban neighborhood. Painted in vividly contrasting colors and with thick architectural elements modeled to look like sculpted clay, the house and its furnishings seem almost archetypal in their simple solidity. But for all the elemental visual appeal of the illustrations, it’s a dull tour, without much to see beyond the generic and none of the visual surprises that animate Barton’s recent My Bus (2014) and My Bike (2015). Even Jim seems bored, concluding with a listless “I like my home. Meow.”
The targeted diaperati will likely be similarly enervated by this bland open house. (Picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: April 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-233703-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
Sure to prompt little fingers into joyful action.
A favorite baby-and-toddler activity receives an upbeat celebration that will get those fingers going. Watch out!
The gang of frazzled felines that populate this outing are truly the cat's meow. Based on Boynton's song of the same title, the text is reproduced in a colored, patterned font that amps the energy right up. A forlorn little kitty, paws clasped in front of his body, appears anxious (though slightly intrigued) when a trio of toms encourages him to join in the fun. “Gitchy-gitchy / Goo Gotta / Ready, Set, Go!” It doesn't take long before the cautious cat jumps in on this chorus line with dramatic leaps and fluttering fingers. A little birdie acts as a square-dance caller, enunciating each beat (“Goo bop. / Gitchy-goo bop”). The shaggy, large-nosed felines are tremendously expressive in their synchronized movements and maintain a rollicking pace. “We can tickle high. / We can tickle low. / We can tickle QUICKQUICKQUICK / as fast as we can go!” (Here, the page is filled with iterations of "gitchy gitchy gitchy" in different colors.) At the end, the gang sprawls on the floor, exhausted, after a truly monumental tickle-fest.
Sure to prompt little fingers into joyful action. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7611-6883-6
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An Australian import tackles manners for the very young.
A little girl takes her stuffed cat and rabbit, along with her pet hedgehog, on an idyllic picnic. Each double-page spread sets up a statement or question (“Would you like to hold my hand?") that advances the day's events with an accompanied, expected answer ("Yes, please!"). Brief phrases in direct, appropriate language serve each natural page turn. Though the "Yes, please!" response never changes, the toys and youngster take turns directing and accepting requests. A soft sweetness—there's no hint of saccharine—nurtures the child's maturing independence as she organizes the festivities with absolutely no adult involvement (or any conflict to be seen). Respectful conversations between the preschooler and her friends appear fresh and unforced. The playthings' full-force involvement sets the creative stage; her dressed pals rifle through the basket, nibble on sandwiches and dip their toes in the water. Minimal backgrounds and pastel borders keep the focus on the action at hand. Slight alterations to facial expressions highlight a quiet reflection. A companion piece, I Can Say Thank You, follows a similar route as the friends explore their surroundings.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-61067-037-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
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