It does as the title suggests but not much more.
This alphabet board book is designed to help little fingers learn letter shapes.
As the title suggests, large, debossed letters provide pads for fingers to trace. Each page presents one large lowercase letter. A dotted line and arrow indicates which direction to move, and the separate strokes are numbered. In addition, each letter includes a description: “A is for Ant…and apple.” This sets a pattern for each page, in which the featured letter is capitalized, as is one example word; the other is lowercase. This could be confusing for prereaders who are looking at two different versions of the letter and practicing only one, especially when there is no key that shows both the upper- and lowercase letters side by side. As a means to actually teach the letters, this is a blunt instrument. It works best as a way to build fine-motor skills and provide exposure to letter shapes and vocabulary. The accompanying illustrations play a background role to the letter tracing and mostly just depict the example words. The animals within them, however, are darling, like the rabbit chomping on a radish and the moth angled toward the moon. Companion title Touch and Trace 123 is similar, encouraging children to trace the numerals 1 through 20, with counting and adding practice at the end.
It does as the title suggests but not much more. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68010-679-4
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
Those who relish an eclectic vibe will fall for this odd offering.
Explore a quirky collection of creatures and things in this ABC book with a decidedly retro feel.
With an aesthetic reminiscent of 1951’s The Little Golden ABC, French author/illustrator Aracil presents a throwback abecedary infused with modern hipness. A blocky, oversized uppercase letter dominates the verso with a trio of smaller letters beneath: lowercase block, as well as upper- and lowercase cursive, though does the ABC set really need familiarity with cursive? Three small Day-Glo bears inconsistently peek out from most large letters; their emotionless, mouthless faces border on disconcerting. The unexpected continues on the recto: While there’s the familiar “ant” and “alligator” among the assortment of “A” objects, the distinctly unusual choice “ax” also appears. Elsewhere, “Ulysses” (the Greek hero) and “Yeti” (munching a selection of Day-Glo popsicles, naturally) also make appearances. “P” epitomizes this sauciness, with its small boy (back to) and his golden stream. Adult readers who smirk at this tongue-in-cheek humor are likely to love this book; if not, move on. The illustration styles vary wildly, from smooth-edged funky vintage “cars” to a “fox” rendered in wild, brushy style. Animals both anthropomorphized (a “rhino” holding a “racket”) and untamed (a roaring “jaguar”) share a sense of swanky flamboyance, accented by those Day-Glo highlights. The dazzling orange binding and the extra-tall trim will surely lure little eyes.
Those who relish an eclectic vibe will fall for this odd offering. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-2-74709-500-6
Page Count: 58
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Handsome but so sneaky as to be frustrating.
Youngsters are invited to find the object or creature that doesn’t fit in with a similar grouping of animals.
In arrays spread out on (mostly) double-page spreads, a rocking horse hides among a drove of real horses, a cat sits with a variety of breeds of dogs, and so on. The project is wordless except for the introductory text that introduces the game with echoes of Sesame Street: “One of these things is almost like the others….” Some of the groupings are quite clever: a straight belt is placed amid a row of curvy snakes, a mechanical crane is perched between a living crane and two other long-legged birds, and the sole human figure, who looks to be a shirtless white male, is the only being to walk on two legs in a primate troop. To assist guessers, the final double-page spread shows all the outliers from the subsequent groupings. Using only yellow, purple, and a deep and dusky brown that is created when these two shades are mixed, Contraire uses stencils to create his figures against a creamy white background. While many of the animals and objects are instantly recognizable, the contrast of the mostly yellow critters against white backgrounds makes identification tricky for the board-book set. And while the book design is handsome, the lack of color variation in the art gives the offering a one-note feel.
Handsome but so sneaky as to be frustrating. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7422-7
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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