With so many high-quality books on the animal-sounds bookshelf, this one’s easy to skip
Young readers are introduced to well-known animals and the sounds they make.
Sweet, whimsical illustrations in pastel colors introduce a dog, a cat, a frog, a cow, a mouse, a pig, a bird, a sheep, and a rooster, each animal having its own double-page spread. On the verso, a simple statement accompanies each depicted animal: “The cat says ‘meow’ ”; “The frog says ‘ribbit’ ”; “The pig says ‘oink.’ ” Opposite these statements, the animal is depicted performing some playful action: riding a bike, dancing, singing, dressing up as a ghost. Unfortunately, as there is neither rhyme, rhythm, nor logic to connect the two sides, the text falls flat, and readers are more likely to be left mystified than delighted. For example: “The dog says ‘woof.’ / Even when it’s riding a bike.” Or: “The cow says ‘moo.’ / Even on Halloween.” Or: “The bird says ‘tweet.’ / Even when it’s being tickled.” The result is a feeling of arbitrary silliness rather than artful whimsy. In the penultimate spread all the animals make an appearance as they wave at the readers: “They all wave to you. / Even when the book is over!” The final spread acts as a review, with pictures standing in for nouns, rebus-fashion.
With so many high-quality books on the animal-sounds bookshelf, this one’s easy to skip . (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-58536-391-9
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Though a bit of a bust in the concept department, it’s a good way to set the stage for friends like George and Martha, Frog...
A new pair of best friends for the board-book crowd is introduced in this Australian import.
Lionel (a lion, natch) and Molly (a tiny mouse) make an improbable pair of best friends. Despite the size and dietary differences, though, they like the same things: jumping in puddles, picking apples, soaking up the sun, and watching leaves fall. Each activity is conveniently paired with a color—blue, green, yellow, red, respectively. Unfortunately, the tactile elements on each spread are unrelated to the color. For example, the puddle-jumping spread shows off a shiny fuchsia umbrella, while the “big blue puddle” is not highlighted. On the next page, Lionel's fuzzy yellow belly will attract little fingers, while the green apple referred to in the text is hidden in an equally green tree. In fact, recognizing and naming the colors is incidental to this simple story of friendship. Companion Opposites works somewhat better, though again the tactile elements seem arbitrarily chosen instead of carefully used to direct the child's attention to essential concepts. For example, on the page that says “Lionel is BIG. / Molly is small,” the bees are both fuzzy and, in one case, bigger than the mouse. The sweet tales of friendship overcome these minor flaws. Lionel and Molly's friendship will be a useful model for toddlers who are just starting to move beyond parallel play to social interaction.
Though a bit of a bust in the concept department, it’s a good way to set the stage for friends like George and Martha, Frog and Toad, and Elephant and Piggie. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: June 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0049-4
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
A bright and worthy addition to the board-book stack. (Board book. 1-3)
Little ones learn how to greet animals.
This board book is a series of double-page spreads, each with a flap and a call-and-response scenario. For example, readers are prompted: "If you see a sheep...." Upon lifting the flap that reveals the sheep (here hiding behind a well), the text commands them to say "BAA!" It's a good read for youngsters discovering their voices and figuring out all the different sounds they can make. The simple illustrations and palette of primary colors enhance the appeal to the audience. Older readers can use the illustrations’ solid lines and shapes as models for when they start to learn how to draw. Each scenario smartly puts other animals in the frame, so repeat reads will reveal dogs, chickens, mice, and other animals that have easily identifiable noises readers can vocalize. Companion title If You See a Tiger follows the same format with exotic animals.
A bright and worthy addition to the board-book stack. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 5, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0112-5
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
© 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.
