This story opens with Dad finishing an animal book, which should signal baby Ted to go to bed. But Ted has other plans and begins an elaborate (and quite lengthy) game in which he acts like a creature and asks his dad to “[t]ry and guess what I am instead.” Sartell keeps the structured, rhyming text predictable and satisfying for young ears. Each sound or action by Ted is ultimately featured in bright red capital letters. Whether it’s shared at bedtime or during storytime, kids will find many places to chime in or participate. As one animal-inspired antic leads to the next, Ted gets closer to bed. Chorao’s vibrant watercolor-and–colored pencil illustrations feature swirling ribbon-like frames and squiggles that highlight Ted’s various animal interpretations and emphasize his boundless energy as he stalls for bedtime. From crocs to bats to porcupines, smiling Dad marvels at how Ted finally got himself “very quietly, very, very carefully tucked…into bed”—right! Should be a guaranteed hit with young preschoolers and their parents. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8234-1968-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2010
The author-illustrator of Nice Work, Little Wolf! (1993) presents a pantomime, with a toddler announcing the actions of his animal friends and—in an irresistible invitation to young audiences to join in—imitating them on facing pages. The animals' movements are described in catchy verse (``First two little crows/pointed their toes...The monkey stretched his arms out wide./The hippo swayed from side to side./When everyone stamped and yelled for more,/the big gray elephant rolled on the floor''); simple directions for audience/participants are added in smaller type (``Grown-ups clap. [Children] Bow''). Offen's brightly colored pictures are robust and full of smiles. A charming introduction to theater, just right to share with a parent/toddler group. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-525-45174-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1994
A popular seasonal work is packaged with sparkling full-color photographs of undeniably adorable infants dressed up as the characters in the song. The first page features a baby dressed up as a partridge, sitting on top of a plastic pear tree. The text appears on lefthand pages, printed in fancy italics on elegant backgrounds. The photographs on the right contain sly jokes: the ``Three French Hens'' are wearing berets, the ``Four Calling Birds'' are pictured with a telephone. The whole book is an extended Christmas card, with the music to the song included at the end. Toddlers love the repetitions of the song, and they like looking at babies. Geddes's first children's book looks like it can't miss. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1995
ISBN: 1-55912-003-7
Page Count: 30
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1995
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