Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet.
Two lagomorph friends rejoice in the beauteous gifts of the four seasons.
Rabbit and Bunny, the former white and the latter white with pale brown splotches, gaze in wonder at a snowfall. The two are just a small part of a wintry double-spread vista of white flakes against a blue background. Green-scarfed Bunny wants the snow to be ingrained in his memory. Red-scarfed Rabbit presents Bunny with a gift—a large snowball that Bunny calls a “gift from the heart [made] from a gift from the sky.” Spring brings scented and colorful lilacs, and Bunny fashions a floral crown for Rabbit. It is another “gift from the heart,” this one made “from a gift from the earth.” Summer arrives and with it, green and salty sea pickles that they call a gift “from the sun and the sea and the sand.” Autumn unfolds with a carpet of ginkgo leaves heaped into a pile perfect for play. The two good pals joyfully exult in yet another bounty of the world in this gentle tale of sharing and seasonal splendor. The delicate pen-and-ink illustrations complement the spare text with delicate settings. The two friends go unclothed except for scarves in winter but walk on their hind feet and hold paws; the expressive cants of their ears deftly communicate emotions. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by 17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 49.7% of actual size.)
Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-26811-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Engaging, appealing, and validating—social-emotional learning done right.
The adorable anthropomorphic cloud introduced in Ploof (2023) returns for more interactive fun.
Ploof is ready to create a rainbow but needs some help. An unseen narrator asks readers to lend a hand: “Let’s begin with a rainbow shape. Do you see any?” “Can you try blocking the wind?” Children become an integral part of moving the plot forward as they “mix” colors for the rainbow and provide Ploof with words of encouragement. The rainbow doesn’t turn out how Ploof wanted it to, so readers give the cloud a moment to cry (rain falls from Ploof) and take deep breaths. The book ends on a positive note with an invitation to play again. Ploof is a sweet and approachable little cloud, with large eyes and a simple smile. Set against a pale blue background, the puffy cumulus paints the sky with swaths of pastel rainbow colors. Not only are the questions and physical interactions a nice fit for the toddler and preschool crowd, but the story also offers sound guidance on coping with uncomfortable feelings. It’s an ideal option for caregivers to read aloud one-on-one and for teachers to share with a group of students.
Engaging, appealing, and validating—social-emotional learning done right. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781774881941
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
Though slight, this story has compensatory interactive components and characters that are time-tested kid-pleasers.
Poor Mark the shark can’t make any friends because all the other fish are frightened of his teeth.
When a crab pinches Mark’s tail, Mark gets angry and yells for all the fish to come out: “If you won’t be my friends, then you’ll be my dinner!” At this, a concerned octopus reaches out to Mark, accidentally tickling him and making him laugh. When the other fish hear the shark laugh, they realize he’s not actually scary after all, and suddenly, Mark has lots of fishy friends. Each double-page spread has a slider, allowing readers to move the shark’s teeth up and down by pulling a tab, making him cry, chomp, and laugh. Companion volume Dino Chomp, also featuring big biting teeth operated by sliders, tells the story of a T. Rex tricked out of his dinner. Both titles suffer from flimsy plots and generic art, depending on the interactivity of the moving mouths to draw kids in. Considering how satisfying it is to make those teeth go chomp, chomp, chomp, though, it may be enough.
Though slight, this story has compensatory interactive components and characters that are time-tested kid-pleasers. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0107-1
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
