This French import is both compassionate and useful.
Young animals learn life lessons in patience.
A young crocodile learns to wait while his sister plays with a toy airplane; a little bunny learns self-control on a long train ride; and a bear cub is hangry for dinner. Resolving the minidramas in six lines of text, caring parents help the children deal with their restlessness with Mr. Rogers–esque techniques, such as empathy, redirection, positive distraction, time management, and positive reinforcement. On the verso of each double-page spread, a child expresses their dissatisfaction solely through dialogue. On the recto, the grown-up suggests a coping strategy and, underneath, an image appears of the pair in the throes of the emotion. This illustration is split down the middle, and a panel slides out via pull-tab to reveal the resolution, with the denouement described below. While the tabs are sturdy, they are a bit stiff, and caregivers sharing this offering with their youngsters may need to assist with the reveal. The final spread appears to be a preschool or a day care, and little critters are being picked up by their corresponding grown-ups after their teacher praises them for their patience. The graphically close to simple art presents simplified scenes with boldly colored, big-eyed characters set against muted backgrounds. The pairs presented here represent solely parental relationships; there is no depiction of other types of family configurations. While some of these situations seem a bit too perfect, the lessons here are direct, and the playful pull-tabs will make them easy to digest.
This French import is both compassionate and useful. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-2-40801-994-5
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
Likely to be popular with young Pete the Cat fans and parents seeking a gentle introduction to preschool.
The popular character enjoys storytime, painting, and a snack on the very first day of preschool.
The younger incarnation of Pete the Cat packs his backpack that he picked out from the store himself, gets a snack from his mom, and rides the school bus with his big brother, Bob (who isn’t much bigger than Pete, sizewise). At school, Pete meets his stylish teacher, Mrs. Lopez, and fellow feline classmates while keeping his signature cool. The day ends with Pete declaring: “Preschool is awesome! Pete loves everything!” James Dean’s big-eyed cats populate the simply drawn scenes that look as though they were painted in preschool-esque fashion with thick swaths of tempera. At a couple of moments (when he eats his banana and declares it tasty and when he sings along) his customarily expressionless face actually breaks into a smile. Kimberly Dean’s text is uninspired, but it’s in sync with the upbeat tone of the series. Pete’s preschool experience, while not particularly realistic, is a highly positive one; refreshingly, there is no trace of the separation anxiety or anxiousness found in many first-day-of-school books.
Likely to be popular with young Pete the Cat fans and parents seeking a gentle introduction to preschool. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06243582-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A clear message with a developmentally appropriate approach.
“All over the world, if you look, you will find / there are all kinds of thank-yous for all kinds of kind.”
This chipper board book offers ways to express gratitude, from saying thank you to giving a hug to drawing a picture. The rhyming text keeps the pages turning, and the concise explanations make the book appropriate for little ones. The illustrations depict children and adults with a wide range of skin tones, hair colors and textures, and abilities. Characters thank a crossing guard for helping them make their way across the street, a child thanks a veterinarian for treating their cat, and another little one thanks a grown-up for braiding their hair. All of the people are drawn with simple faces, two dark circles for the eyes, a single-line nose, and sometimes rosy cheeks. While the art doesn’t make room for a detailed range of expressions, it does the job. The message that a thank you comes from inside and can be shared in many forms is straightforward yet incredibly important. This one will work well in the hands of a young child but also as a tool for educators and caregivers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A clear message with a developmentally appropriate approach. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66590-292-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
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