by Elias Barks ; illustrated by Meg Hunt ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2020
Stellar fun for any astronaut-to-be.
Entertainment for tots that’s visually and conceptually out of this world.
“They’re here…” and they’re babies! That’s the message from this delightful bedtime diversion. A classically bug-eyed ET and their otherworldly friends charm and amuse in this small, sturdy exploration of the paranormal for toddlers. Eye-catching artwork evokes the great science-fiction and fantasy pulp art of yesteryear, only with playful, toddler-sized creatures with big grins and a sense of adventure. The text is a series of rhymed couplets presented over bright and dazzling double-page spreads. Each vignette poses a question on the first page that is answered by opening a well-secured but mercifully easy-to-open flap on recto: “Who’s zipping past in a flash of light?” Opening the flap reveals the answer: “It’s Alien Baby taking flight!” The die-cut flaps won’t tear easily, and little fingers can grab and open each one with ease thanks to the unusual thickness of the pages and the generous amount of space between the edge of each flap and the rest of the page upon which it resides. UFOlogists will recognize Alien Baby as a “Roswell Gray.” The supporting cast includes a “space baboon,” a robot, a “lizard man,” two startled human astronauts (one brown skinned and one pale), and two adoring parents to tuck Alien Baby in to a whispered “night, night!” Companion title Bigfoot Baby! is earthbound and equally charming.
Stellar fun for any astronaut-to-be. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-948931-09-0
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Hazy Dell Press
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
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by Elias Barks ; illustrated by George Bletsis
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by Aly Fronis ; illustrated by Jannie Ho ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 26, 2016
A delightfully creepy spin on an old favorite.
The classic movement song gets a thrilling twist.
Nearly every child in America knows the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and most enjoy clapping hands, stomping feet, and spinning around to its rhythm. This board book adapts that rhythm and filters it through the creepy hues of Halloween. Verses include “If you’re spooky and you know, it clap your hands,” “If you’re naughty and you know it, snap your fingers,” and “If you’re hairy and you know it, jump up and down!” Each verse is accompanied by an illustration of different traditional Halloween monsters, including vampires, werewolves, and mummies, getting in on the fun. It’s unclear whether the double-page spreads include multiple iterations of one monster or several separate, identical monsters. Little readers who are developmentally inclined to believe the latter may be confused when they reach the final double-page spread, which features one each of all the adorable monsters at one big Halloween party dancing together. The illustrations are colored with the usual green, purple, and orange–heavy scheme most Halloween books employ. Adults looking for an amusing way to introduce small children to the tricks and treats of Halloween will find this mostly fills the bill.
A delightfully creepy spin on an old favorite. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0165-1
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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by Aly Fronis ; illustrated by Migy Blanco
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by Aly Fronis ; illustrated by Sanja Rešček
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by Aly Fronis ; illustrated by Fhiona Galloway
illustrated by Yujin Shin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 12, 2019
Interactive features carry this unicorn board book for toddlers.
Unicorns, rainbows, and interactive features come together in this durable board book.
A perky unicorn graces the cover, and the wheel integrated in the cover page can be used to rotate the sparkly, colorful lines on her rainbow mane, tail, and hooves for a pleasant striped effect. “A unicorn skipped out one day, / spreading magic on her way.” The rainbow unicorn wanders through her enchanted land, chasing away the clouds, stopping rain, and fixing torn fairy wings. Text is sparse, just one sentence-cum-couplet on each of the four double-page spreads, offering little substance for toddlers and not fully connecting with the illustrations. Cartoony illustrations are colorful yet simplistic, reminiscent of animated children’s television programming. Wafting clouds of stars represent unicorn magic, with birds, flowers, pale-skinned fairies, butterflies, and other insects scattered throughout. The final double-page spread shows a herd of unicorns of different colors frolicking together. Beyond the wheel on the cover, other interactive mechanisms include smooth pull-out tabs and sturdy sliders, which toddlers may easily enjoy while developing motor skills. The turn-push-pull-slide features of this book are developmentally perfect for the age, and they are the true adventure in this sturdy book. It’s a shame the text and illustrations fail to deliver in terms of edutainment and pale in comparison to the interactive features.
Interactive features carry this unicorn board book for toddlers. (Novelty board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3729-9
Page Count: 8
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
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