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THINGS THAT GO

Name: THINGS THAT GO
Author: Helen Hughes
ISBN: 978-1-66435-066-3

From the Slide & See First Words series

by Helen Hughes ; illustrated by Liza Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2023

Cute and amusing but may not have a long shelf life.

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Help young readers fill in the blank!

Aimed at introducing little ones to some new vocabulary, this slide-tab board book focuses on three areas: vehicles on the road, in the air, and on the water. The vocabulary ranges from the simple (car, bus, truck) to less common early reach words (submarine, speedboat). The pages that feature the various modes of transportation (all operated by cheery anthropomorphic animals) include a sliding tab that moves vehicles or makes them appear—these are sure to appeal to little ones. The alternate pages each include a three-question quiz that may spark conversation, although some responses may vary from the written answers. For example, the prompt “A car’s horn goes” is answered by the word beep in the book, but honk is also correct. Similarly, the prompt “The sailor is looking at the” is completed with the word lighthouse, but the sailor may also be looking at the two whales splashing in the distance. Although the book is made of sturdy board, the tabs may not prove robust enough for long-term enjoyment from boisterous readers. A broken tab won’t significantly affect a reader’s experience, but it may take away from a bit of the fun.

Cute and amusing but may not have a long shelf life. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: March 14, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-66435-066-3

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

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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 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

- BOOK REVIEW
POUT-POUT FISH
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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LLAMA LLAMA SHAPES

From the Learning With Llama Llama series

developed by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by JT Morrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023

An invitation for readers to learn through observation.

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Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.

Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)