This is neither the best shape book nor the best fall book out there, though if teachers are looking to combine the topics,...
A father-daughter-son trip to the pumpkin patch is an opportunity to point out shapes while enjoying the sights and tastes of the season.
In her debut, Chernesky goes beyond the basics—circles, squares, rectangles and triangles—by including ovals, diamonds, hexagons, hearts and stars. Each shape is given a double-page spread on which it predominates, though others can be picked out, too. This presents plot problems. The family is supposedly on a hayride to the pumpkin patch, but inexplicably, it is often seen not on a wagon—they stop to fly kites, investigate honeycombs, peek in the barn and don’t even appear on the pages devoted to rectangles. The verse sometimes limps, but the text helps beginning readers by highlighting the shape words as well as one related vocabulary word: “Gather OVALS! Squash and corn. / Speckled EGGS nest in the barn.” Swan’s artwork, which appears to be digital and collage, is full of textures and patterns, fall colors dominating the palette. But the contrast among the elements sometimes overwhelms the page design, the scenes a hodgepodge of elements that don’t always meld (people’s faces seem to be the worst offenders).
This is neither the best shape book nor the best fall book out there, though if teachers are looking to combine the topics, this may be a good choice. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8075-6538-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fishy tale that doesn't quite swim in the crowded sea of concept books
A mix of marine-life fact and fiction introduces opposites.
With its iconic shape, the eye-catching cover cutout of a bright-orange fish is instantly appealing. Layered die cuts of decreasing size provide texture and handholds for little fingers and form the bodies of varying species of fish. Information about fish habits and habitats is crammed into wordy rhymes with the opposing terms in boldface, but the accuracy of those facts is debatable. Though it’s fair to call the eel “long and very wiggly,” contrasting it with a generic, short yellow fish that’s a rhyme-forced “giggly” introduces a jarring anthropomorphism. In fact, stereotypical human emotions or motivations are attributed to the fish on almost every page. On another page, the slow fish (the only fish not painted with a smile) says, “Even with a big head start, I knew I'd finish last”—a distressingly defeatist message in an otherwise cheery board book. Inexplicably, the final spread depicts all the fish in party hats—turning it into a birthday book. While this may extend its use in day cares, it doesn't help young children learn opposites.
A fishy tale that doesn't quite swim in the crowded sea of concept books . (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58925-215-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Nothing riveting but serviceable enough.
Children are introduced to the concepts of sorting and classifying in this bedtime story.
It is getting close to bedtime, and Marco’s mother asks him to put his toys away. Marco—who thinks of himself as a scientist—corrects her: “You mean time to sort the animals.” And that’s what he proceeds to do. Marco sorts his animals into three baskets labeled “Flying Animals,” “Swimming Animals,” and “Animals That Move on Land,” but the animals will not sleep. So he sorts them by color: “Mostly Brown,” “Black and White,” and “Colors of the Rainbow,” but Zebra is upset to be separated from Giraffe. Next, Marco sorts his animals by size: “Small,” “Medium,” and “Large,” but the big animals are cramped and the small ones feel cold. Finally, Marco ranges them around his bed from biggest to smallest, thus providing them with space to move and helping them to feel safe. Everyone satisfied, they all go to sleep. While the plot is flimsy, the general idea that organizing and classifying can be accomplished in many different ways is clear. Young children are also presented with the concept that different classifications can lead to different results. The illustrations, while static, keep the focus clearly on the sorting taking place. Marco and his mother have brown skin. The backmatter includes an explanation of sorting in science and ideas for further activities.
Nothing riveting but serviceable enough. (Math picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62354-128-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
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