Little train lovers will be happy to travel along as this choo-choo rumbles along the tracks. (Picture book. 2-4)
An exciting train trip from his suburban town to the big city for a visit with grandma proves to be enlightening for a young boy.
This small child, dangling feet from his perch on the station bench, lunch bag in hand, experiences the thrill of traveling alone. His day begins with a warm greeting from a blue-uniformed conductor and continues with the “all aboard” whistle, the rush of the train’s mounting speed felt from a window seat, the special treat of being let into the engineer’s car to “sound the whistle” and the grand view of the approaching star-filled city skyline. Finally, the day-long trip culminates with his grandmother’s welcoming hug at the station. Gouache, Disney-esque cartoon drawings in understated colors provide a cheery, cherubic, wide-eyed cast of characters—complete with a rounded frontal view of a “little engine that could” smiling face. It's definitely a nostalgic view of a contemporary adventure. How many young children would be permitted to travel alone these days? The succinct, rhyming text is created with sentences of no more than two to four words each, which gives an appropriately trainlike rhythm to the narrative and supports emergent literacy skills in toddlers.
Little train lovers will be happy to travel along as this choo-choo rumbles along the tracks. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4231-1837-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.
Peppa hopes to join her classmates in a Halloween pumpkin competition in this adaptation of a story from the popular British television program Peppa Pig.
With the help of Granny and Grandpa Pig, Peppa turns her giant pumpkin, which is the size of a compact car, into a jack-o’-lantern. The trio is flummoxed when it comes time to transport the pumpkin to the competition, so they call on Miss Rabbit and her helicopter to airlift the pumpkin to the festivities as Peppa and her grandparents ride inside. Peppa arrives just in time for the contest and wins the prize for best flying pumpkin. The scenes look as if they are pulled directly from the television show, right down to the rectangular framing of some of the scenes. While the story is literally nothing new, the text is serviceable, describing the action in two to three sentences per page. The pumpkin-shaped book and orange foil cover will likely attract youngsters, whether they are Peppa fans or not.
This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-33922-2
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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