From one of the finest practitioners of the art of the picture book for the youngest children, four disarming vignettes about a toddler and his toy monkey: Pippo, who has played in the mud, goes into the washing machine after a poignant kiss goodbye in case he never gets out; after a walk on a cold day when both Tom and Pippo fall into a puddle, Mommy gives them separate baths and a warm drink together by the fire; Tom likes to do what Daddy does—including scolding poor Pippo as instigator when Tom makes a mess by "helping" with the painting; and when Daddy is tired of reading to Tom, Tom "reads" to Pippo. In each book, busy little Tom is happy to learn by doing, imagining Pippo as his surrogate. Oxenbury uses simple language, though her text is lengthy enough to extend listeners' verbal ability and to contain some subtle nuances in these healthy relationships. Her clear, admirably drawn illustrations are full of amusing detail, including expressions on faces—Pippo's comically show emotion despite his limp, long-suffering form. Pages are very sturdy but flexible—fine alternative to board books for tiny fingers learning to turn pages. Wonderful.
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1988
ISBN: 0689712553
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1988
A warm hug of a picture book wishing all children happy, fulfilled, and meaningful lives.
A picture book filled with positive messages for young children.
From the first “I wish you” page of this picture book to the last, the author of Bedtime for Picco Puppy and other books in the Picco Puppy picture book series (2019) offers children words of encouragement and inspiration, complemented by a gifted artist’s charming illustrations. “I wish you dreams and aspirations, to spread your wings and reach for the stars,” the book begins. On the page, against a deep blue starry sky, a little brown-haired girl steadies a ladder for a blond boy in a space helmet who is reaching for the moon. Children of different races frolic in a snowy wood to illustrate “I wish you joy and laughter, to laugh long and loud until you gasp for breath.” A little Black girl in a wheelchair and a light-skinned boy share an ice cream cone on a leafy autumn day to illustrate “I wish you kindness and generosity, for no act of kindness is ever wasted, no matter how small.” Each “wish” is stated with graceful simplicity; each colorful illustration matches that tone and delights the eye. Two end-of-book features invite children to go back through the pages: “Can You Spot the Famous People?” highlights pictures of some of the book’s characters as if they are child versions of such well-known figures as Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, accompanying each name with a short bio. “Can You Spot the Dog?” identifies each dog in the book with its breed.
A warm hug of a picture book wishing all children happy, fulfilled, and meaningful lives.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-925973-12-9
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Picco Puppy
Review Posted Online: Nov. 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
With the same delightfully irreverent spirit that he brought to his retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" (1987), Marshall enlivens another favorite. Although completely retold with his usual pungent wit and contemporary touches ("I don't mind if I do," says Goldilocks, as she tries out porridge, chair, and bed), Marshall retains the stories well-loved pattern, including Goldilocks escaping through the window (whereupon Baby Bear inquires, "Who was that little girl?"). The illustrations are fraught with delicious humor and detail: books that are stacked everywhere around the rather cluttered house, including some used in lieu of a missing leg for Papa Bear's chair; comically exaggerated beds—much too high at the head and the foot; and Baby Bear's wonderfully messy room, which certainly brings the story into the 20th century. Like its predecessor, perfect for several uses, from picture-book hour to beginning reading.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1988
ISBN: 0140563660
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1988
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