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STEP BY STEP

Name: STEP BY STEP
Author: Guido Van Genechten
ISBN: 978-1-60537-622-6

by Guido Van Genechten ; illustrated by Guido Van Genechten ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 13, 2021

Endearing and just right for little ones trying out their own first steps.

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Learning to walk is an overwhelming and exciting step for little humans and animals alike!

Babies’ adorable, tottering first steps are a milestone for a reason: It’s a big move toward independence! This sweet, slightly oversized board book captures the energy of that process along with the uncertainty, dedication, and, yes, the falls required to learn. Featuring a variety of oversized baby animals with giant heads and expressive eyes and clad in adorably patterned diapers, the simple cartoon illustrations sit against plentiful white space. A lightly saturated palette puts the speckled elephant, stripey mouse, or peachy piglet on full display, and the lack of discrete outlines makes the animals look appropriately babylike. An omniscient narrator speaks directly to the animals in the book but also to readers who are mastering this skill alongside them. Always wise and reassuring, the narrator describes the usual process, starting with “lift[ing] up your head first,” using a sofa to steady, then standing “for almost ten seconds.” The animals go “thud!” or “thump!” but the narrator is matter-of-fact and encouraging about that part too, and the warm reminders that “that’s okay” are steadying. After plenty of practice, the book culminates with a human child with beige skin and black hair successfully toddling along, walking “further and further and further.”

Endearing and just right for little ones trying out their own first steps. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: April 13, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-60537-622-6

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Clavis

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT ABOUT SCOUT?
by Guido Van Genechten ; illustrated by Guido Van Genechten

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT DO YOU DO TO FALL ASLEEP?
by Guido Van Genechten ; illustrated by Guido Van Genechten

- BOOK REVIEW
PIP'S BOOK
by Guido Van Genechten ; illustrated by Guido Van Genechten

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE HALLOWEEN SCARIES
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE MADE 32 MISTAKES
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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LLAMA LLAMA TRICK OR TREAT

From the Llama Llama series

by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by Anna Dewdney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 19, 2014

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In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.

Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)