A rambunctious child tries to find outlets for his surfeit of energy.
As the title implies, this little boy is into everything: Daddy’s phone, Mommy’s shoes, the kitchen appliances—you name it, he’ll fuss with it. Written in first person, Good’s text ends up coming across more like an adult’s impression of a busy child than it does the voice of a little one, and it lacks the structure necessary to deliver a complete story. Instead, the book delivers a familiar character study of the into-everything toddler. Krosoczka’s digitally assembled, multimedia art attempts to capture the protagonist’s high energy with multiple scenes showing him in midaction as he explores the world around him at a frantic pace, but the illustrations end up being largely redundant to rather than expansive of the text. Furthermore, the sequence of events has no apparent order—spreads could be rearranged without any impact on the book as a whole, expect for the ultimate, predictable closing scene that shows the child tuckered out after his busy day and fast asleep in a chair. Ultimately, Good and Krosoczka's collaboration seems to serve more as a validation for adult perceptions of toddler behavior than it acts as a story for actual toddlers to enjoy.
Not a must. read. book. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61963-095-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The story shows all of the ways a mother loves and cares for her children while also needing to take care of herself.
Sloan writes what mothers feel: “This mama needs a minute.” There are books that prepare children for their first day of school, potty training, siblings, and many of life’s earliest milestones. In that tradition, Sloan’s book shows kids how mothers can both love and care for them and also need a little space. She writes, “It doesn’t mean I love you less. Sometimes it just means Mama needs to get dressed.” Truer words have never been written. Sloan simultaneously affirms a mother’s love while also deftly explaining that it’s OK for love to need boundaries—for parents, yes, but also for kids. The comics-style illustrations hit home, like the stubble-legged mama trying to snag a minute to shower. This goes beyond ringing chords with adult readers; it also provides concrete examples of when mama needs that minute. The palette includes pinks, greens, and bright blues, and all of the characters have skin of many nonhuman colors; hair is likewise fancifully colored but always straight. Many of the moms have visible tattoos, a refreshingly realistic detail.
A must-read for mothers of young children (and their kids, too). (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5248-5457-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Andrews McMeel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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