Falls just short of the mark.
The wolf is coming! Quick! How can he be stopped?
Against a yellow sky and green ground, a wolf is seen in the distance; as he approaches, readers are encouraged to turn the page. But as he just gets bigger on the next page and flashes mean, pointy teeth, readers are now encouraged to “tilt the book to the right and turn the page!” The wolf appears to be slipping but is still there, so more action is required. And so it goes. After tipping, shaking, and flipping, the wolf is still there. The solution? “Quick! Shut the book!” But is the wolf really gone? Readers are encouraged to turn the book over, where they will re-encounter the wolf on the front cover and presumably read the book over again. But will they? It’s doubtful. Clearly mining the same vein as Hervé Tullet’s Press Here (2011), this book doesn’t reach the same degree of magic and whimsy. The interactive-book genre aims to give readers the illusion they are in control, but in spite of the turning, tilting, and shaking, the illusion is not here. In addition, the text of the book—originally in French—is in cursive letters, which poses a challenge to the development of letter-recognition skills in American children, who are not introduced to cursive at such a young age.
Falls just short of the mark. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-927271-84-1
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 20, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In time for Halloween, a BOO-k about a ghost that young readers will enjoy.
What can a ghost do when she’s lost her boo?
Little Ghost has a dilemma. Attempting to frighten an unsuspecting human (who presents White), she finds to her dismay that, instead of her signature sound, only “a rush of cold air” escapes her mouth. Mama Ghost sympathizes but fears her child’s “fright nights are done.” Not one to give up easily, Little Ghost launches a search. She encounters her friends Owl, Pigeon, and Rooster, whose sounds are all similar to “Boo”; unable to join Little Ghost in her search for her boo, they offer to lend her their cries. She declines, explaining that, while the calls are perfect for them, they aren’t as scary as hers. She finally heads home, despondent, and meets another pal whose voice resembles her own. In an unexpected concluding twist, Little Ghost locates the friend she most needs, the one who will assuredly help reclaim her boo-tiful sound. This cute but thin rhyming New Zealand import will appeal to ghost fans; they’ll definitely want to comply—loudly—with the final instruction. The jaunty rhyming couplets mostly succeed but are sometimes awkward. Illustrations and white text type pop against saturated turquoise backgrounds. Occasionally, certain words and onomatopoeic sounds, such as the animals’ calls, are capitalized and appear in display type for dramatic effect. Chubby Little Ghost is amorphous, winsome, and wide eyed. Her pals have a bright, folk art–y appearance.
In time for Halloween, a BOO-k about a ghost that young readers will enjoy. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-20215-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
A rite of passage seen through the lens of a favorite literary pal.
Llama Llama loses a tooth for the first time.
All of the wiggling can make having a loose tooth fun, but there can be some worry, too. How will it fall out? There is a tooth fairy? What does she do? Llama Llama is distressed. “Is it fun? / Or is it scary? / Just who, exactly, / IS this Fairy?” Luckily, Mama is there to help. “The Fairy’s great. She’s kind and funny. / She takes your tooth / and leaves you money.” Llama Llama is on board with that! Appropriately, exactly how much money is never specified, but the tiny llama fairy is shown carrying a bag stuffed with bills. Hopefully she has many houses to visit. Gram and Grandpa have lots of ideas on how to get the tooth to fall out, but Llama’s tooth stays put until bedtime. Suddenly, Llama realizes his tooth is gone: “OH NO. / Where is that tooth? / Where did it GO?” Will the tooth fairy come if the tooth is lost? The comforting cadence of the rhymes paired with warm, textured hues soften all the drama. As in the other posthumously published Llama Llama books, Morrow’s textured paintings emulate Dewdney’s definitively lined renderings. The fluttering llama fairy, along with Llama’s stuffed llama, whose wide eyes notice all, will delight eagle-eyed readers. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 41.8% of actual size.)
A rite of passage seen through the lens of a favorite literary pal. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-20603-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
