Echoes of Good Night, Moon are unavoidable in this nighttime tale, with its young protagonist’s “Bye-bye, bedroom. Adios, rocking horse. Take care, teddy bear. See you soon, moon.” But quickly the story takes on a meaning of its own, as the boy and his parents go for a night ride to Grandma’s house. As their car tootles over hill and dale, the child notices that the moon is keeping apace: “Hey—the moon is coming with us!” It keeps the boy company through the orchard, over the bridge, and around the pond, providing a connector from one happy locale to the other. Carter has once again used foam board, plaster, and acrylic paint to striking 3-D effect. His images have all the sweetness and inviting presence of cake frosting, adding texture to familiar objects. Conrad’s simple, easy text has a soothing quality that makes this a good lullaby book, but has just enough sense of excitement—this is, after all, an evening ride to the city—to keep the attention of young children, until they nod off. Readers will hanker for a return trip. (Picture book. 1-4)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-80656-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2000
Look around and see all there is to see! (Picture book. 2-4)
Dance, sing and look around!
A mother and her baby dance and sing together while looking out the window into the vibrant garden below over the course of a few hours. The whimsical chant-and-play pages are replete with onomatopoeia ("Let's go, baby-o, / you and me. / To the wibble, / To the wobble, / To the cha-cha-cha," they chant as they imitate a cat about to pounce). They alternate with a depiction of the mother and her son looking into the garden, accompanied by the lines, “Look out the window. What can you see?” Young readers will find the goings-on in the garden hard to resist, as they spot the different actions, changes and details. This tale is meant to be interactive, and adult readers are encouraged to create their own jingles and dances and to question their youngsters in a note on the first page. Colorful illustrations with just the right amount of detail contrast the cozy indoor world of mother and son with that of the riotous garden outside. Though the rhythm here is sometimes a little bumpy and uneven, this simple and understated selection is a good choice for encouraging the young to dance, sing, observe and comment on the world around them.
Look around and see all there is to see! (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-174237-564-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Attracted by the little tulle tutu on the cover, little ones seeking a ballet-themed tale may be disappointed, but this...
Taylor, with a recognizably preschool fashion sense, wears her tutu everywhere.
The text is a to-the-point list of some of the places Taylor sports her bright pink garment and includes, in dialogue, the bemused comments of her long-suffering family members and friends: “Not again!” Watercolor scenes that stretch across both pages depict a lively preschool girl in said tutu as she sleds, shops, sleeps and even swims (but does little ballet). Nakata’s loose and buoyant watercolors capture Taylor’s eclectic style as she pairs the tutu with cowboy boots, snow pants and pajamas, until she finally grows tired of it and finds a substitute. While the girl’s suburban family is Caucasian, a little more diversity would have been welcome in the depiction of her friends.
Attracted by the little tulle tutu on the cover, little ones seeking a ballet-themed tale may be disappointed, but this outing will resonate with any youngster who has worn a favorite outfit to shreds. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-97698-7
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
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