by Judy Carey Nevin ; illustrated by Susie Hammer ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2019
With skin tones ranging from deep brown to paper white, a diverse group of children represents a wide range of temperaments, interests, and characteristics.
The text follows a repeated rhyming pattern for each line: “Calm kids, mad kids / Hugs from mom or dad kids.” Each couplet spans a double-page spread that’s illustrated with a full-bleed illustration or is made up of a collection of smaller panels. Children enjoy outdoor adventures, art activities, and building pillow forts in the scenes. While there doesn’t appear to be a narrative thread that binds these episodes together and there is a new batch of kids with each page turn, Hammer’s two-dimensional cartoons populated with stocky, round figures in medium hues are gleefully toddler friendly. The project ends with the query: “What kind of kid are you?”—and the group of five tykes depicted looks invitingly and cheekily at readers for a reply.
A playful celebration of childhood. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3204-8
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More by Judy Carey Nevin
BOOK REVIEW
by Judy Carey Nevin ; illustrated by Stephanie Six
BOOK REVIEW
by Judy Carey Nevin ; illustrated by Stephanie Six
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 9, 2016
The Pout-Pout Fish brand expands.
Halloween is here, and Mr. Pout-Pout Fish is giving out treats from his submarine home. Those familiar with the blue striped fish will find the usual uncluttered illustrations and rhyming scheme (“Who’s at the helm / of the spooky submarine? // It’s you, Mr. Fish! / Have a happy Halloween!”). New readers may be drawn in by the colorful costumes the various fish wear as they trick-or-treat along the ocean floor. Keen-eyed readers with some pumpkin-carving experience may wonder how a jack-o’-lantern can be lit under water. This board book is a fairly standard look at Halloween, putting a popular character in common holiday trappings and adding nothing else. Fans of the holiday will have to look elsewhere for a more exciting take on Halloween’s thrills.
Another branded entry that offers little beyond the minimum requirements. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30191-0
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More by Deborah Diesen
BOOK REVIEW
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna
BOOK REVIEW
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna
BOOK REVIEW
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Magdalena Mora
by Little Tiger Press illustrated by Rory Tyger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2017
Grandma is the star in dozens of picture books for older children, but seldom is the special bond between a toddler and their grandmother portrayed in a book for very young children.
This sweet, but not saccharine, board book fills that gap. Thankfully, this grandma does not have Alzheimer’s and is not dying. She simply delights in spending time with her cherished grandchild. The narrator, a charming bear cub, is not identified as male or female, which makes it easy for both girls and boys to insert themselves in the story. Each of the six rhyming couplets is spread across double-page spreads: “I love the fun we have each day, / And all the funny things you say.” Even in its small board-book trim size, there is still plenty of room for the winsome watercolors to highlight the familiar yet memorable rituals of a day spent with a loving and patient grandma. Note: “Rory Tyger” is the collective pseudonym for the British artistic team of Richard Greaves, Tracey Simmons, and Gabrielle Murphy. Their illustrations were originally used in Good Night, Sleep Tight by Claire Freedman (2003). In that story, the little bear is resisting bedtime. This reworking is a gentle and conflict-free ode to the special love between little bear and a doting grandma.
As warm as a hug from Grandma. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-524-7
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
Share your opinion of this book
Did you like this book?
More by Claire Freedman
BOOK REVIEW
by Claire Freedman & illustrated by Rory Tyger
© Copyright 2022 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.