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MY LITTLE BOX OF ANIMAL BOOKS

Name: MY LITTLE BOX OF ANIMAL BOOKS
Author: Christophe Boncens
ISBN: 978-2-7338-1820-6

illustrated by Christophe Boncens & translated by Susan Allen Maurin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2012

Developmentally dull; there's nothing to cheer about here.

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This box proves a bust.

The long case holds four separate books; two focus on animals living on the farm and the savanna, and the others describe pets and babies. Cartoon panels provide factual tidbits. The text, though for the most part accurate, lacks the energy to inspire a young audience. “The male duck is called a drake.” An imposing photograph appears opposite the panels, containing a circle cutout with material meant to provide a tactile experience of the animal. (The gimmick often fails; the baby panda’s coat is virtually indistinguishable from the penguin chick’s fuzzy feathers). A caption supplies the appropriate sound (“The lion roars”). Unfortunately, the photographs consistently fail to convey any sense of sound; if an animal's mouth is open, it is to eat or play (the lion cub appears more interested in gnawing on a stick than making any noise at all). Poor quality of materials (foam for the pink pig) makes for a lackluster tactile experience. The touch-and-feel design leads to comically contradictory statements; the back of the container encourages this format for “young toddlers,” while a concluding note reads, “not suitable for children under 36 months.”

Developmentally dull; there's nothing to cheer about here. (Board book. 2-3)

Pub Date: April 1, 2012

ISBN: 978-2-7338-1820-6

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Auzou Publishing

Review Posted Online: May 29, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
BAND INSTRUMENTS
by Christophe Boncens ; illustrated by Christophe Boncens

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WHERE IS FLUFFY?

From the My First Stories series

by Yann Walcker ; adapted by Leslie Bullion ; illustrated by Jannie Ho ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2015

Pass on this weak offering.

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A predictable board-book mystery.

The mystery involves a common childhood crisis—a lost toy. Ho’s trademark round-headed animals stand in for humans with a range of emotions, from the persistently worried Little Bunny to grumpy Pig. Each barnyard animal offers the distraught bunny a comforting alternative to his blanket, “Fluffy.” Finally, when Mouse admits to borrowing Fluffy for a snuggle, Little Bunny forgives him surprisingly quickly because, “I love my Fluffy for snuggling too.” The rhyming text presents problems—either by not actually rhyming (lost/most; fur/near) or falling inconsistently, making end rhymes unpredictable and less than useful in a book for pre-readers. Instead of letting the pictures tell the story, superfluous speaker attributions make this a tedious read-aloud and impede the rhyme: “ ‘I'll search the pond for your Fluffy,’ says Duck. / ‘I've looked underwater already. No luck!’ Fish tells Little Bunny.” The various flaps, foil inserts, and very small tactile elements are not intriguing enough to rescue the story. The tiny patch of wolf fur peeking through the page with the lambs is easily missed (and is disconcertingly far away from the picture of the wolf). Perhaps out of concern for the safety of the lamb, the wolf does not appear on the next page. No similar caution is shown when the owl shares a page with its prey. Do owls not eat chicks wearing spectacles?

Pass on this weak offering. (Board book. 2-3)

Pub Date: April 14, 2015

ISBN: 978-2-7338-3235-6

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Auzou Publishing

Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
BENJAMIN IS AN UNUSUAL DUCKLING
by Yann Walcker ; illustrated by Julie Mercier ; translated by Julia Taylor

- BOOK REVIEW
MIKA THE BEAR IS AFRAID OF THE DARK
by Yann Walcker ; illustrated by Nicolas Duffaut translated by Lipsie Languages & Traduction-IN

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ELEPHANTS SPRAY

From the Amazing Changing Pictures series

by Rebecca Glaser ; illustrated by Rebecca Glaser ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2016

Little animal lovers will enjoy gazing at the photographs while learning a little bit about these creatures' real lives and...

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This brief photographic nonfiction offering introduces little ones to the many uses of an elephant’s trunk.

An elephant’s strong trunk can do many amazing things, including smelling, carrying food to its mouth, drinking, spraying water, and hugging friends. The stock photos used to illustrate these actions, while they vary in quality from the ordinary to the striking, will in all likelihood succeed in catching the attention of curious toddlers and preschoolers. A light pink column occupies the right- or left-hand border of each double-page spread, displaying the text in white print, a color choice that doesn’t provide enough contrast with the background for easy reading. The syntax and vocabulary, though, are kept simple and appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers: “Sniff, sniff! He smells food,” for example, and “Munch, munch! Here’s a tasty lunch.” Other, very similar titles in the series include Monkeys Swing, Giraffes Stretch, Penguins Waddle, Lions Roar, and Dolphins Play. All of them feature photographic images and simple text that showcase the animals in action.

Little animal lovers will enjoy gazing at the photographs while learning a little bit about these creatures' real lives and behaviors. (Board book. 2-3)