All the jungle’s a stage for the resounding chittering, chattering, chirping, and croaking sounds of the rainforest creatures. “The jungle drum talks . . . Ba-da doom. Ba-da doom doom.” An unseen drum determines the rhythm of the jungle, spreading a hush through the trees and across the water as the animals stop to listen. As the drum goes silent, mosquito, tree frog, wild boar, and jaguar spring to life. Insects are in concert with parrots; the monkeys join the recital until the whole jungle, from canopy to forest floor, is ringing. Hand-painted paper collages lend dimensionality to every forest creature, plant, and tree, alternately concealing and revealing animals, and offering vibrant surprises; these jungle murals buzz with color and texture in an animated and expressive work. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7613-1270-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
Big Brown Bear, with a natty bowler hat, is all set to paint the house in this cheerful Level 1 reader. Every page presents a full-color scene and a few words of easily predicted, often rhyming text: “Bear is big. Bear is brown. Bear goes up. He comes down.” Big Bear climbs a ladder with a pail of blue paint, while nearby, Little Bear plays with a ball and bat—“Oh no! Little Bear! Do not do that!” These are simple words, but sometimes challenging ones, e.g., there are two uses of up, as in climbing the ladder and washing up. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations provide nearly ideal context, while also amplifying the story. The format is attractive and practical, featuring large type on a white background that is placed for easy reading. Beginning readers will be amused by the gentle humor in the book, and feel accomplished to have tackled it themselves. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201999-5
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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