A feast for the eyes and ears, this beach and bedtime story will be read and reread often.
The protagonists of What Does Little Crocodile Say? (2021) return for a sound-filled day at the beach.
Big Crocodile and Little Crocodile are on a camping vacation near the beach. As they ride their bike, “the bell goes dring dring.” “The sunscreen goes squirt.” “The fish go blub.” “The hermit crab goes snip-snap.” Adult readers who enjoy reading with expression will have fun creating the sound featured in each scene, and young listeners will soon understand the story’s pattern and chime in with a “splash” for an incoming wave, a “tick tock tick” as Big Crocodile checks the time, and a “toot toot” when the ship in the harbor signals. “And what does Little Crocodile say” when it’s time to leave? “WWWWAAH.” As the day winds down, readers will notice a familiar bedtime routine. The pair shower and struggle with pajamas, dine al fresco with a cricket companion, and finally wish on a shooting star before retiring to their tent and sleeping bags. “And the moon says ‘good night.’ ” Reflecting the text well and adding details like seaside friends, veggie kebobs, and night sky constellations, delicate and whimsical colored pencil and chalk pastel illustrations of the pair stand out against generally neutral backgrounds with minimal details; each enchanting page highlights a different activity in this lovely day. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A feast for the eyes and ears, this beach and bedtime story will be read and reread often. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: March 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781774881552
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Ideal for any community where children count.
A difficult concept is simply and strikingly illustrated for the very youngest members of any community, with a counting exercise to boot.
From the opening invitation, “Living in community, / it's a lot of FUN! / Lets count the ways. / Lets start with ONE,” Nagaro shows an urban community that is multicultural, supportive, and happy—exactly like the neighborhoods that many families choose to live and raise their children in. Text on every other page rhymes unobtrusively. Unlike the vocabulary found in A Is for Activist (2013), this book’s is entirely age-appropriate (though some parents might not agree that picketing is a way to show “that we care”). In A Is for Activist, a cat was hidden on each page; this time, finding the duck is the game. Counting is almost peripheral to the message. On the page with “Seven bikes and scooters and helmets to share,” identifying toys in an artistic heap is confusing. There is only one helmet for five toys, unless you count the second helmet worn by the girl riding a scooter—but then there are eight items, not seven. Seven helmets and seven toys would have been clearer. That quibble aside, Nagara's graphic design skills are evident, with deep colors, interesting angles, and strong lines, in a mix of digital collage and ink.
Ideal for any community where children count. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-60980-632-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Triangle Square Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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