Perhaps a little too sweet in tone for some, but most grandmas would love to read this to a grandchild.
A gray grandma bunny expresses her love for her little bunny grandbaby in this sweetly sentimental sequel to Grandma Loves You! (2013).
The short, gracefully rhyming text is written in first person from the grandma’s point of view, stating her love for her grandchild in different ways. Her Christmas wish is for nothing more than hugs and kisses from the little bunny, and of course the best Christmas present for a grandparent is the great gift of the grandchild’s mere existence. In the pictures, the kindhearted grandma helps the bunny put a star on the top of their tree, plays outside with the little one in the snow, and gives her grandchild a Christmas gift of a doll made from a pine cone and twigs. The text is playful and succinct, conveying emotion with just a few well-chosen words that will stand up to inevitable multiple rereadings. Soft-focus, detailed illustrations are filled with light in the rabbits’ cozy burrow and in snowy outdoor scenes with falling snowflakes or bright moonlight. The rabbits are utterly charming, with emotionally appealing faces expressing their joy in being together and their loving relationship. Concluding pages include space for a letter from grandmother to grandchild as well as a photo, which makes this more suitable for a gift purchase than for libraries.
Perhaps a little too sweet in tone for some, but most grandmas would love to read this to a grandchild. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-58536-918-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery.
A troop of cats traverse a spooky landscape as they make their way to a party hosted by ghosts.
Each double-page spread shows the felines’ encounters with the likes of an owl, jack-o’-lanterns or a bat. One or two of these creepy meetings may be too abstract for the youngest readers, as the cats hear eerie noises with no discernible source on the page. The text, which consists of one rhyming couplet per scene, mostly scans despite a couple of wobbles: “Five black cats get a bit of a scare / As the flip-flapping wings of a bat fill the air.” The sleek, slightly retro art, likely created using a computer, depicts the cats cavorting at night through a shadowy cityscape, the countryside and a haunted house; they may scare some toddlers and delight others. A brighter color palette would have given the project a friendlier, more universal appeal. Luckily, the well-lit, final party scene provides a playful conclusion.
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-611-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween.
This board book twists the traditional “Teeny Tiny” tale into a less-scary Halloween treat.
This version uses a singsong-y rhythm and cadence to tell the story. “In the teeny tiny barn / Of a teeny tiny house... / Lived a teeny tiny ghost / and a teeny tiny mouse.” Of course the ghost (being teeny tiny) is not very frightening. “But the determined little ghost / Let her mighty courage through / And with a teeny tiny breath / She said a teeny tiny: boo.” Spoiler alert: After just seven page turns the ghost and mouse become friends: “And now the teeny tinies play / In the teeny tiny house. / Just a teeny tiny ghost / And her best friend, mouse.” Pumpkins decorate the cover and final spread and illustrations throughout are in autumnal hues. The fairly high-for-the-format word count—19 to 21 words per page—may be more than toddlers will sit still for, but the “teeny tiny” repetition and rhymes will help. The size (just 6 inches square) makes using the book with a group a challenge, but with a lap-sitting child, it’ll be a pleasure.
A satisfying friendship story to share with very young children in the days leading up to Halloween. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-31848-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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