Pull-tabs, animal sounds, vehicles, and an irresistible song—an ideal mix for toddlers.
Sing along with this board book designed to grab toddlers’ attention.
The recognizable rhythms of “The Wheels on the Bus” pair vehicles with farm animals for a rollicking good read. The fun starts right on the cover, with cows as both passengers and driver sitting in a red double-decker bus. The word moo in a cutout window hints at what’s to come. Pull the tab to reveal the full text, which incorporates the title and is continued on a sliding panel: “The Cows on the Bus / Go moo / moo MOO! / All day long!” This is followed by ducks quacking on a boat, sheep driving a car, pigs flying in a plane, and dogs on a train. Finally, a rocket is big enough for all the animal friends when pulled up to its full size. Tabs alternating between the right side of the book and the top could be confusing, but the correct tab is conveniently color-coded with the appropriate background and holds a thumbnail picture of the corresponding animal. The panel that slides out is 4.75 by 4.25 inches wide, almost the same size as the book. The large tabs and thick sliders withstand rough handling and slide smoothly, making it nearly perfect toddler design. The back side of each large tab is decorated with repeated images found on adjacent pages (fish, clouds, butterflies) so if one is left open, it does not disrupt the experience of the next spread.
Pull-tabs, animal sounds, vehicles, and an irresistible song—an ideal mix for toddlers. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68010-647-3
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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