A fun storytime pick that emphasizes child participation and sensory skill development.
A cow explores a farm and encounters animal friends in Perkinson and Woodall’s debut board book.
As she roams her farm, a friendly cow watches other farm animals in their natural habitats—a running colt and a horse, a “lamb jumping a fence,” “piglets playing in mud,” and ducklings swimming and splashing in a pond. The cow even watches as chicks hatch. Lastly, she comes across a farmer and his son riding a tractor. The bovine is visibly enthralled by all she sees, and upon each encounter, she says: “Wow!” Woodall’s lively, graphic illustrations are charming, featuring bold colors. Many pages include wide expanses of textured green grass juxtaposed with a blue sky. All animals depicted have similar cartoonish eyes and cheerful smiles. The pictures also include fun details, like a reoccurring airplane flying in the sky. Although barnyard scenes are commonly featured in children’s literature, the interactive elements here make the book more unique. The book includes a red sound button that emits the word “Wow” when pressed. The story ends abruptly after the cow’s encounter with the farmer and his son; it would’ve been satisfying to see the cow and her animal friends gather together at the end. Still, the sparse text using simple language and repetitive phrasing (“and the cow said…Wow!”) will appeal to very young audiences.
A fun storytime pick that emphasizes child participation and sensory skill development.Pub Date: July 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-692-76227-1
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Wow Cow Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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BOOK REVIEW
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