Children should relate to the emotions surrounding a lost toy and the happiness of its recovery, even if not by the original...
A shark and his goldfish pal look for a teddy bear that falls into the ocean in this picture book.
Sharkee, a sand tiger shark and mascot of Ripley’s Aquarium, sports a friendly grin and swims around with an unimpressed-looking goldfish companion. One day, they notice a teddy bear sinking into the ocean but then lose sight of it. “We decided to look for it,” says Sharkee, although the image depicts a surprised goldfish being grabbed abruptly by the fin and towed along. Sharkee asks several sea creatures about the teddy bear, but none have seen it—though sharp-eyed readers may notice the bear tucked under a baby octopus’s arm. Sharkee at last catches sight of the pair, and a hungry look on his face seems to bode ill—the usually expressionless goldfish becomes wide-eyed in alarm. But the final image shows Sharkee sweetly cuddling baby and bear. This book by the team of Bolin, Firpi, and Graziano (Bremner and the Party, 2018) provides minimal text that depends for its effectiveness on being paired with the full-page, colorful, and detailed illustrations. For example, a query to the blue lobster is reported as “He wasn’t very helpful” by the authors while the picture amusingly shows the understatement by depicting a grumpy, Snidely Whiplash–mustachioed crustacean pinching Sharkee’s nose. The contrast in the last pages between Sharkee’s fierce demeanor and his affectionate protectiveness is entirely wordless yet dramatic and nicely resolved.
Children should relate to the emotions surrounding a lost toy and the happiness of its recovery, even if not by the original owner.Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-60991-208-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Ripley Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 10, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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