Not much by way of text, but the high-appeal photographs and downright cuteness of the dogs make this entertaining overall.
Photographs of dogs accompany descriptions of their actions, moods, and appearance.
This board book reads like a coffee-table book of dog portraits for babies and toddlers. Each page features another gorgeous photograph of an adorable dog with a short descriptor: “spotted dog,” “dirty dog,” and “shy dog,” to name a few. The photographs truly stand out, as the dog itself is shown against either a distance-dappled natural background or a starkly contrasting color without any other images or distractions. Readers won’t be able to help but grin right back at the contagious smile of “happy dog” or the little furball that is “fluffy dog.” While by and large the photographs do accurately depict the text, the character descriptions could be confusing for the intended audience of young readers. For example, the “curious dog,” despite its cocked head, appears sad, with droopy jowls and sorrowful eyes. The “shy dog” could equally be interpreted as feeling blue. The companion board book Cats & Dogs features the same gorgeous, “aww”-inducing photography with similar short descriptors. While there isn’t much difference in the cat-and-dog relationships featured on the “silly friends” and “happy friends” pages, the unbelievably adorable kitten and puppy on “tiny friends” certainly make up for it.
Not much by way of text, but the high-appeal photographs and downright cuteness of the dogs make this entertaining overall. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1581-7
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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