The usual favorite breakfast consisting of “sweet itty-bitty beans and potato bugs” awaits Hen and her three chicks in the garden, guarded this morning by a grumpy and growling dog tied to the tree. Shannon (More True Lies, 2001, etc.) has once again created a short, suspenseful tale with an unpredictable and satisfyingly canny ending. He develops the characters of Hen, her offspring, and Dog succinctly in a text that offers lots of opportunity to dramatize while reading aloud to very young preschoolers. Protective Mother Hen plays the respectable, appropriate role as she holds her chicks back and insists on waiting for the customary chicken feed. The oldest, Big Chick, tries to be a negotiator but fails to make a deal with Dog who continues to bark and jump out even though restricted by his leash. Brazen Middle Chick attempts a more aggressive approach of yelling threats but equally cowers under Dog’s menacing anger. Finally, underestimated Little Chick proves to be the clever one in the brood with her cunning and winning solution that outwits scary Dog and leads her family to the garden. Bold acrylics reflect the action of all the characters with large figures in hues of pale yellows for the chickens and white for the dog against a garden background of bright greens, browns, purples, and blues. Great for group sharing and participation story hour. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-06-029823-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2002
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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