by Diane Z. Shore & Deanna Calvert ; illustrated by Stephanie Bauer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 21, 2018
Uneven but fun.
Rhymed riddles with lift-the-flap answers offer guessing-game giggles for toddlers.
Readers can guess at and reveal the identities of five barnyard friends in its two-page set pieces: a rhymed riddle, sans solution, on the verso and a relatively easy-to-open flap on the facing page that conceals the answer, presented in both picture and word form. The rhyme scheme and meter vary a bit; caregivers would do well to practice before sharing to avoid tripping over the occasional bit of overcomplicated phrasing: “I’m the morning ALARM / heard out on the FARM. / Wake up! I cock-a-doodle-dooed, SIR. / Keep the gate SHUT / or out I will STRUT / I’m proud to be such a fine….” A peek behind the flap on the next page reveals the answer: a brightly colored, crowing rooster. On a practical level, by the time a child has managed to locate and lift the flap, the rhythm of the line is disrupted, losing some of the momentum of the rhyme. Other rhymes are simpler and more straightforward, though, and funnier, too: “I wallow in MUD / and eat lots of CRUD / For slop, my appetite’s BIG. / You think I STINK? / I’m tickled PINK! Oinkity-oink! I’m a….” The wallowing pig and other farm animals are stylized but recognizable; the colors are bright and earthy. Companion title Riddle Diddle Safari shares both this volume’s strengths and its weaknesses.
Uneven but fun. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68152-406-1
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Amicus Ink
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More by Diane Z. Shore
BOOK REVIEW
by Diane Z. Shore & Deanna Calvert ; illustrated by Stephanie Bauer
BOOK REVIEW
by Diane Z. Shore & Jessica Alexander ; illustrated by Wendell Minor
BOOK REVIEW
by Diane Z. Shore & illustrated by Laura Rankin
by John Canty ; illustrated by John Canty ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 23, 2018
A clever conceit but a bland execution.
In this minimalist Australian import, readers are encouraged to guess animals based on select written and visual clues.
On each recto, readers see the hindquarters of an animal, and three simple clues ask them to guess what kind of animal they may belong to. “I have long furry ears and a small nose. / I live in a burrow in the ground. / I have a white fluffy tail. / I AM A….” The splashy watercolor rear legs and tail are ambiguous enough that they may have readers second-guessing the obvious answer. Turning the page, however, readers discover both the well-defined front half of the animal and the animal’s name: “RABBIT.” Canty uses stock 19th-century animal illustrations layered with watercolor enhancements, creating a somber yet surprising tone. Two tailless animals, a frog and human readers, are included in the roster, making the “tails” referenced in the title symbolic rather than literal. Two red herrings, the image of a mouse between the clues for and image of an elephant and (inexplicably) a squirrel leading to a giraffe, fall flat, with no other cues to young readers that they are jokes. The quirky illustrations, earthy colors, and lack of exhibited enthusiasm will make this book’s audience a niche one. There is no backmatter.
A clever conceit but a bland execution. (Informational picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0033-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
More by John Canty
BOOK REVIEW
by John Canty ; illustrated by John Canty
by Jane Cabrera ; illustrated by Jane Cabrera ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017
Ho-hum.
A riff on the familiar lullaby depicts various animal parents, and then a human father, soothing their sleepy little ones.
An opening spread includes the traditional first verse of the titular lullaby, but instead of depicting a human baby in a treetop cradle, the accompanying illustration shows a large tree as habitat to the animals that are highlighted on subsequent pages. First the perspective zooms in on a painterly illustration rendered in acrylics of a mother squirrel cuddling her baby with text reading “Rock-a-bye Squirrel, / high in the tree, / in Mommy’s arms, / cozy as can be.” In this spread and others the cadence doesn’t quite fit with the familiar tune, and repeated verses featuring different animals—all opening with the “Rock-a-bye” line—don’t give way to the resolution. No winds blow, no boughs break, and the repetitive forced rhythm of the verse could cause stumbles when attempting a read-aloud. The final image of a human father and baby, whose skin tone and hair texture suggest that they are perhaps of South Asian descent, provides pleasing visual resolution in a book with art that outshines text.
Ho-hum. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3753-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Jane Cabrera
BOOK REVIEW
by Jane Cabrera ; illustrated by Jane Cabrera
BOOK REVIEW
by Jane Cabrera ; illustrated by Jane Cabrera
BOOK REVIEW
by Jane Cabrera ; illustrated by Jane Cabrera
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.