Some literal jaw-dropping at the climax gives this party-hearty pop-up a big finish.
Toddlers who find Lodge’s Happy Birthday Moo Moo (2001) a touch tame will happily fasten on this toothier follow-up, a British import.
Once Mr Croc’s doorbell rings it’s all fun and games, as animal party guests line up to offer presents, boogie to a (judging from the musicians’ sombrero and maracas) Latin beat, and play hide-and-seek. Pull-tabs on each spread open a pop-up card and a gift box, set dancers to wriggling, and roll Mr Croc’s eyes in the brightly colored, very simple cartoon scenes. The question-and-answer narrative culminates in “Mr Croc, is it time for tea?” The turn of a big flap shoots the reveling reptile up from the page to SNAP! SNAP! in young viewers’ faces, along with a hearty “YES! It’s time for cake!” The pages and engineered effects are made from heavy stock—which is a good thing, as diapered devotees are sure to demand repeat servings.
Some literal jaw-dropping at the climax gives this party-hearty pop-up a big finish. (Pop-up picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4449-1785-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Cute and sprightly but not a standout.
Deck the stalls?
A bevy of barnyard animals, a cat, and some dogs get fully into the Christmas spirit by sprucing up the farm with colorful decorations, including holly berries and sparkling baubles. They have a great time and sing while going about their merry chores in a manner somewhat in keeping with the rhythm of the classic tune “Deck the Halls.” (In fact, a flock of sheep are shown holding song sheets for it.) As might be expected with these particular celebrants, some of the familiar lyrics are altered just a bit; for instance, “boughs of holly” is “translated” as “cows and holly.” Adult readers expecting the rhythm here to work exactly as it does in the original will be disappointed, because it doesn’t—it’s clunky. This is merely a brief, lightweight spoof of the familiar ditty, so it’s recommended that grown-ups read rather than sing this—except for that final line!—to very young targeted audiences, who may be unfamiliar with the actual song anyway. Some fun is still to be had in the illustrations, however. The spirited, wittily expressive animal characters are depicted having a fine time romping about and producing a variety of onomatopoeic sounds throughout. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Cute and sprightly but not a standout. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66591-435-2
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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