An adventurous, offbeat take on telling time.
A girl visits creatures that live at each number of the clock in debut author/illustrator Richards’ picture book.
Desi, a girl with light-brown skin and dark-brown hair, explains that in the circular land where she lives, creatures called Tocks reside at each number of the clock face; with her dog and cat, she visits each one. First is the Phloon, a stringy, singing creature who lives on a dune at noon; she later takes a rowboat to see the octopuslike Gloor at 4 and ventures through a snowy forest to see the dangling, spiderlike Sline at 9. During her visits, Desi explains the Tocks’ traits, abilities, and personalities. Some are scary, but others are pleasant, such as the Thevin, a large, purple creature with a “toy train that / brings tea and lemon.” The trio returns to “where the Phloon stood at noon,” and at midnight, they receive good-night wishes from a giant, multicolored Zight. Young readers will enjoy the whimsical settings and the imaginative, engaging Tocks while familiarizing themselves with numbers and the hours of the clock. The brightly colored, cartoonlike illustrations include many fun details, as when Desi and her pets are seen dressed up for a posh party at the Thevin’s. Backdrops include quirky thematic elements, such as a wall decorated with the lyrics to “Hickory Dickory Dock.”
An adventurous, offbeat take on telling time.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73770-560-4
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Kintou Media Company
Review Posted Online: Nov. 30, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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