Many an older sibling will identify with the story and beg for repeat readings.
A loud and terrible growl envelops the house—what could it be? What does it want?
As a toddler-age child plays, eats, reads, and gets ready for bed, there is an ever present “GGGGRRRR” in the background. As the text speculates on the source of the growl, delicately lined, crisp illustrations, done in soft colors against white space, depict the possibilities. “Is it a big, hairy bear from the dark woods?” Or maybe “a mean, ugly ogre who lives in a castle of bones?” Or worse yet, “a spiky, green sea monster from the bottom of the ocean?” The recurring text “What’s that terrible GROWL?” and “What does it want?” along with the playful use of typeset and the outlandish speculative possibilities make for a breathless and spirited read-aloud. The first time through, readers might be so caught up they won’t take time to stop and explore the illustrations. That can be done calmly on the inevitable second pass. The source of the growl? The delightful answer is kept a secret until the very end. The young protagonist and his family present white. Unfortunately, the simultaneously publishing Spanish version, ¿Qué es ese ruido?, is marred by a few awkward translations.
Many an older sibling will identify with the story and beg for repeat readings. (Picture book. 2-5)<Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-84-17123-55-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving.
Preschoolers, get ready for your first official ghost story.
“There is nobody in this house. There used to be somebody. But there is nobody now.” But is that true? As readers turn the pages of this board book, they pass through an array of rooms. In one, a ghost stands clearly to one side, the unseen narrator pointedly making no mention of it. As the narrative progressives, the ghost continues to peep from within (revealed through cleverly placed die-cuts), never acknowledged, always watching. The effect is both amusing and unnerving—in other words, classic Klassen. For some youngsters, the narrator’s refusal to mention the ghost will be a source of humor (and a chance to yell at the book). For others, it will be just the right amount of creepy, perhaps causing some to question whether a ghost truly is “nobody” at all. To set the mood, Klassen relies heavily on color; the first few rooms are brightly lit in the sun’s rays, but the home grows dimmer as readers proceed. Treating the book itself as a physical location begging to be explored (it’s even shaped like a house), Klassen extends the format beyond its usual limitations, allowing a short story of surprising depth to emerge.
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781536248289
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
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