by Elisa Kleven ; illustrated by Elisa Kleven ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 2013
It is worth noting that this title is printed and bound in the United States and that its paper is labeled “from responsible...
The idea of “cozy”—hyggelig in Danish and Gemütlichkeit in German but not so nuanced in English—is what drives this deliciously illustrated, rhymed seasonal tale.
The pictures are a riot of color and pattern. Readers move through the seasons, starting with autumn, with items one might not think of as cozy but that definitely are: “Cozy toes in fuzzy boots, cozy pits in purple fruits.” Several families of varying ethnicities populate these pages, and their activities display coziness: mom playing the banjo; dad at a sewing machine; everyone collecting a pumpkin in the rain. Braided loaves of bread, popcorn popping and Grandma tickling the belly of a pajama-clad toddler are all cozy. So are bugs in their flowers and keys in their pockets. Sometimes the rhyme doesn’t quite catch, and sometimes it stretches beyond, but the images of “[c]ozy matzo balls in soup” or a scoop of ice cream cozy in its cone are pretty cute. Winter opens with three children on a quilted, padded window seat, watching the snow fall, while a parent in the kitchen flips hot cakes. The children’s pajamas, the hall rug, snow falling on the rainbow-colored cityscape—all make a kaleidoscope of pattern that one can return to again and again. Every page is like that.
It is worth noting that this title is printed and bound in the United States and that its paper is labeled “from responsible sources.” That would not help a less effective tale, but it truly enhances this 32-page delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-939547-02-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Creston
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
Share your opinion of this book
More by Elisa Kleven
BOOK REVIEW
by Elisa Kleven ; illustrated by Elisa Kleven
BOOK REVIEW
by Elisa Kleven ; illustrated by Elisa Kleven
BOOK REVIEW
by Elisa Kleven & illustrated by Elisa Kleven
by Joan Holub & illustrated by Jan Smith ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2012
Between its autumn and field-trip themes and the fact that not many books start countdowns from 20, this may find its way to...
A class visits the pumpkin patch, giving readers a chance to count down from 20.
At the farm, Farmer Mixenmatch gives them the tour, which includes a petting zoo, an educational area, a corn maze and a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch. Holub’s text cleverly though not always successfully rhymes each child’s name within the line: “ ‘Eighteen kids get on our bus,’ says Russ. / ‘But someone’s late,’ says Kate. / ‘Wait for me!’ calls Kiri.” Pumpkins at the tops of pages contain the numerals that match the text, allowing readers to pair them with the orange-colored, spelled-out numbers. Some of the objects proffered to count are a bit of a stretch—“Guess sixteen things we’ll see,” count 14 cars that arrived at the farm before the bus—but Smith’s artwork keeps things easy to count, except for a challenging page that asks readers to search for 17 orange items (answers are at the bottom, upside down). Strangely, Holub includes one page with nothing to count—a sign marks “15 Pumpkin Street.” Charming, multicultural round-faced characters and lots of detail encourage readers to go back through the book scouring pages for the 16 things the kids guessed they might see. Endpapers featuring a smattering of pumpkin facts round out the text.
Between its autumn and field-trip themes and the fact that not many books start countdowns from 20, this may find its way to many library shelves. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8075-6660-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More by Joan Holub
BOOK REVIEW
by Joan Holub ; illustrated by Laurie Keller
BOOK REVIEW
by Joan Holub ; illustrated by The Little Friends of Printmaking
BOOK REVIEW
by Joan Holub ; illustrated by Daniel Roode
by Jessica Hische ; illustrated by Jessica Hische ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 11, 2023
Somewhat cerebral but brimming with visual charm—and likely to spark ideas in the artistically minded.
U said it!
The diminutive lowercase letters attending Ms. Bracket’s School for Little Letters, located in New York City, embark on a “Find Yourself Field Trip” and observe letters everywhere—on signs, on T-shirts, and more. When personable U, the story’s protagonist, talks to a letter in a book at the New York Public Library, she realizes how powerful and important letters and words are; a discussion with a letter on a sculpture spelling out the word hope inspires optimism. When it’s her turn to share her field-trip experiences, U recaps her conversations and the lessons learned, namely, be yourself, or, in U’s case, be U. Her decision about who to be when she grows up should please readers, though the heavy-handed lead-up to that conclusion may confound them. The story is cute, though a bit thin, with a lofty message that may go over kids’ heads. However, the humorous, inventive illustrations are appealing, with playful use of typography and fonts; many colored images are pleasingly set against monochromatic line drawings. The adorable, exuberant student letters and teacher have spindly limbs, dots for eyes, and small, curved mouths. Ms. Bracket, who resembles a squiggly, yellow piece of pasta, wears a “hair” adornment. Children may be spurred to take part in their own creative lettering activities—collages for example. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Somewhat cerebral but brimming with visual charm—and likely to spark ideas in the artistically minded. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-38502-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
More by Jessica Hische
BOOK REVIEW
by Jessica Hische ; illustrated by Jessica Hische
BOOK REVIEW
by Jessica Hische ; illustrated by Jessica Hische
BOOK REVIEW
by Candace Fleming & illustrated by Jessica Hische
© 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.