A fun, practical book that will make kids laugh and learn.
In their debut, co-authors Altman and Jacobson explain to young readers the appropriate uses for the nose, ears and mouth—and what should go in them and what should not.
Breakfast foods, like bacon and fried eggs, do not go in the ears or nose. Neither do toy cars, bumblebees, chopsticks, stones, small animals, or art supplies—no matter how tempting it is to poke them up the nostril or through the ear canal. And why not? For one thing, “Ears have really small holes that lead into your head // Sounds should enter in them and never stuff like bread!” Plus, it scares doctors and parents and causes pain. Instead, the authors explain that the nose is just for smelling and the ears just for hearing. The short book turns to many examples to drive home its message, in both text and illustrations. Young children will find these examples familiar and comical—the perfect combination to emphasize a point to the age group most likely to squeeze a straw or crayon where they shouldn’t. A couple of the rhymes sound a bit forced—“Playing with your racecars? / Have fun…but this, I shout: / Toy cars up your nostrils / May never race right out.” But the kids won’t notice the slight stiltedness. They’ll be too distracted by the amusing illustrations on every page: bright colors, animals, and a diverse cast of goofy kids playing outside, painting, and exploring the world around them. Altman, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and Jacobson do a great job speaking to their audience. They acknowledge that it may be enticing to put stuff where it shouldn’t go, but they don’t do it sternly. Instead they bring up the repercussions with simple language and pictures, always keeping the tone light and positive.
A fun, practical book that will make kids laugh and learn.Pub Date: May 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0988886100
Page Count: 22
Publisher: ZonaBooks, LLC.
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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