Take it, or leave it.
A wintertime story that can be sung to the tune of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
The itsy bitsy snowman and his friends are playing in the snow. They climb up a snowy hill, jump on a sled, slide fast, and zip past children skating on ice. Then, though the text tells readers that he “dodged a snowball fight,” his head becomes separated from his body. Not to worry, “out came his friends / to lend a happy hand.” In the last spread the itsy bitsy snowman stands with his mom, dad, and friends, “And everything was perfect / in his winter wonderland.” The story, intended to be read to the tune of the beloved nursery rhyme, doesn’t always quite fit the template, as in: “The itsy bitsy snowman / climbed up the snowy hill. // He jumped on a sled / and slid fast…what a thrill!” For no obvious reason, on every page one word is printed in a different color from the rest of the text. Rescek’s illustrations are bright, cheery, and cartoonlike, with an appropriate wintry pale blue as the dominant color. Though sweet and cute, there is nothing particularly fresh or new here.
Take it, or leave it. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4837-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant addition to the Christmas shelf.
A little deer is loved.
A little reindeer is fawned upon in this board book. Foam antlers covered in fabric rest atop the book in such a way that they rest atop the head of the young deer at the turn of each page. The rhyming text (“You twinkle, glow, and shine so bright. / You embrace each day with such delight”) heaps praise upon the little bovid and ends with declarations of love and wishes for a “Merry Christmas.” The antlers are sturdily constructed and stand up to the mighty pull of little hands, though they don’t make the actual book any cuddlier than an ordinary board book. The illustrations are simply colored with a primary palette and “stitched” outlines that evoke felt dolls. The text itself is set in a wide, loopy “hand-written” typeface in white against darker backgrounds. This board book is by no means an essential Christmas read, but it will help to satiate the holiday frenzy well enough.
A pleasant addition to the Christmas shelf. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-338-11081-4
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant spring read for emerging speakers.
Spring is in the air, and woodland critters are out to play.
As the seasons change and blossoms bloom, farm animals emerge with their little ones in tow. This lift-the-flap board book contains five double-page spreads, each featuring a different spring scene. A full-grown animal is in view on the left, and its young are hidden beneath a flap to the right. Text asks little readers, “Who’s that under the flowers?” or, “Who’s that beside the basket?” When they lift the flap, they discover an adorable chick or kitten and further text describing the sounds that particular baby makes. Little readers learning to talk will enjoy the variety of sounds as well as the brightly colored, rounded, and painterly illustrations. The pages are bound in a sturdy, faux hardcover fashion, but the flaps are a bit flimsy. Active readers will certainly destroy them after several readings—which they’ll probably want.
A pleasant spring read for emerging speakers. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: March 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9329-9
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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