Colorful Brown Bear is a lovely addition to a handsome series, but give Stripy Tiger a pass.
Readers explore a rainbow of colors as they search for the titular bear.
On the left-hand page, the color in question is stated at the top of the page in an oversize font. Below, some short lines of text list the animals or objects toddlers can hunt for, always culminating with the question: “Where is Brown Bear?” On the right-hand side of each spread, little ones can pore over Foster’s stylized renderings of seven objects in the hue in question, all done in thick black lines and inviting patterns. A die-cut circle frames Brown Bear’s face at the center of the page, growing bigger with each page-turn. On the final page, the text reads: “Here is Brown Bear with all his favorite colors. Can you name them?” A cuddly bear is surrounded by three flowers, one of which is formed from the concentric, die-cut circles in rainbow hues. The less-successful companion title, Jane Foster’s Stripy Tiger Pattern Book, features the stylized tiger that appeared on the orange spread of the first book in each of the double-page scenes dizzyingly bedazzled by stripes, squares, swirls, stars, and more. Those readers who do not find the addition of a teepee on the triangle spread inappropriate for reasons of cultural appropriation may objects to its geometric label, as it is more conical in shape than triangular. Tabbed pages let little ones quickly turn to their favorite patterns.
Colorful Brown Bear is a lovely addition to a handsome series, but give Stripy Tiger a pass. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0330-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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