Solid—but never soars.
Fine feathered friends preen in this informational board book.
Somewhere between art book and early bird-watching guide, this board book introduces various avian factoids. Short, matter-of-fact sentences do an adequate job of conveying the most basic bird-related information. But while statements such as “birds have wings” or “most birds fly” are the right length for toddlers, they verge on clinical and dry. Although the surface-level information might satiate some young readers, inquisitive listeners may want to understand more deeply why “some birds are hard to see” or how exactly “birds are important to our world.” To some degree, the simple text seems an excuse to show off the elegant watercolor bird illustrations, repurposed from previous picture books by the Sills. With a single bird species per page situated on a meticulously accurate, full-bleed background of their habitat, birds soar, hunt, nest, and perch. John Sill illustrates birds from various vantage points and perspectives, including a bald eagle gliding above viewers and a tiny ovenbird face to beak with readers on the ground. Always, the respect for the natural world is apparent in the realistic colors and poses. Under the compelling art, a plain contrasting band of color holds the drab text (printed in a stiff, serif typeset that matches the text’s formal tone) along with a well-appreciated italicized identification of every species that’s shown.
Solid—but never soars. (Board book. 1-3 )Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-190-4
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
Young birders and gardeners in the making will applaud this lovely admission to the Look & Learn series and its...
A colorful, photo-illustrated introduction to our feathered friends.
Two double-page spreads are devoted to each featured bird, giving readers a sample of bird activities and characteristics: a “red bird” takes a bath, a “blue bird” sings a song, a “yellow bird” roosts in a tree, a “green bird” feeds itself and its young, and colorful parrots take flight. One to two sentences of text accompany each photo while additional factoids float alongside the main image. Little ones are encouraged to interact with the birds through simple directives: “Say hello to the blue birds,” or “Clap your hands for the flying bird.” The final two pages review most of the birds from the previous pages and ask tots to name the color of each animal. The companion title In My Garden follows a similar format and provides youngsters with an overview of all the things needed to grow a garden, including seeds, water, and sunshine, along with an introduction to several garden dwellers such as caterpillars, birds, and bunnies. People, mostly children, of different races and skin tones demonstrate activities. The bold and vibrant photos are stock images; expertly chosen, they will undoubtedly appeal to tykes learning to name their worlds.
Young birders and gardeners in the making will applaud this lovely admission to the Look & Learn series and its companion. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4263-2843-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
A misfire.
Little readers learn some animal idioms.
Caregivers know the phrases “sly as a fox” and “blind as a bat,” and this board book tries its best to introduce these and other animal idioms to little readers. The resulting read is a disjointed affair: an extreme close-up of a minimally detailed, black-and-white animal’s face takes up one full page on recto, while the opposite page offers simple, rhyming clues to the animal idiom. When readers turn the page they are greeted with a full, detailed, full-color view of the animal. Although the facial features from the previous page are printed on its verso, the relationship between minimalist and full-color versions will be hazy at best to a board-book audience. The initial views purposely give little clue to the creature’s identity, and given the audience’s limited experience, the textual clues aren’t much help either. “Quick and cheeky, / smart and sneaky. / I’m sly as a… / Fox.” While the book succeeds in introducing new vocabulary, it does so in such a decontextualized way that toddlers are unlikely to be able to make use of it. Die-cut peek-through holes (an ox’s nostrils; the joint of a clam’s shell) provide some continuity but seem more gimmick than anything else.
A misfire. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2505-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
