Nothing new but sweet enough.
This interactive French import illustrates a number of common bedtime routines.
The interactions begin on the cover, where a white bunny in green PJs lies on its bed, and children can slide the curtain across the window, changing the scene from day to night; bunny will also be awake or asleep accordingly. Cute and friendly-looking anthropomorphic animals describe their typical evenings on the interior. A little tiger chooses a story, brushes its teeth, puts on its pajamas, and slides under the covers. Readers choose which of two pairs of pajamas it should wear by sliding the sturdy tab. In another scene a bird family readies for bed, with Mommy singing a lullaby and Daddy reading a book. Again, readers are asked to slide the tab to choose one of two princess stories. A sheep tells children, “I count sheep to help me sleep.” Children can spin a wheel to see sheep jumping over a gate. As a koala sleeps cuddling a raccoon, “Outside, the moon and stars shine bright.” By sliding the tab little ones can make the stars shine. On the last spread some illustrations depict bedtime objects—a soft toy (here called Lovely), a pillow, slippers, and a bed. Other illustrations ask a question, with the answer revealed by lifting a flap.
Nothing new but sweet enough. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 9, 2018
ISBN: 978-2-7338-5914-8
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Auzou Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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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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