Little Bear Brushes His Teeth (PLB $14.90; paper $8.95; Mar. 1997; 32 pp.; PLB 0-7613-0190-9; paper 0-7613-0230-1): Little Bear is not happy about his first encounter with toothbrushes and paste: ``Blech! Ptooey! This is horrible!'' He fancies himself a soldier, who doesn't need to brush anyway. When the mother's entreaties don't work, the father is enlisted, but he succeeds only by roaring. A lightbulb clicks on in Mama Bear's head: Why not depict bacteria as an army battling Little Bear's teeth? ``Pass me my sword,'' commands Little Bear. Using a hook to overcome life's early trials makes this book a stronger effort than the companion volume, Little Bear Goes to Kindergarten (0-7613-0231-X), which relies on trickery. Sobat's warm artwork adds a comforting touch. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-7613-0190-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lovely aural and visual introduction to some of nature’s miracles.
What’s more magical than nature?
Six brief, charming verses and colorful, endearing illustrations offer up a world of wonderment in familiar surroundings as well as simple, easily digestible information to young readers: A butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, dew forms and evaporates, birds greet the dawn with song, a bee goes about its vital pollination work, a chick hatches, and a spider weaves an intricate, ingenious web. Children are given the opportunity to witness these familiar but no less thrilling phenomena up-close and personal, in the here and now, not only surprising them with the natural world’s amazements, but also reminding them to revel in and be mindful of the wonders as they’re occurring in the moment—hence the Slow Down admonition in the book’s title. Each natural-world miracle in this sweet board book, a British import, is delivered in a two-page spread, with a rhyme on the verso page and intimate pen-and-ink and digitally colored illustrations presented in panels on the recto page. Several words in each rhyme are set in a larger, boldface font with capital letters. The lilting rhymes scan well and benefit from being read aloud. Apart from youngsters enjoying listening to and learning from these delightful rhymes, they can be encouraged to suggest other natural phenomena that fascinate them and then illustrate their ideas. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lovely aural and visual introduction to some of nature’s miracles. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-6147-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Magic Cat
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
A gentle yet predictable child’s-eye view of Japan.
A board book with text in two languages.
As an age-appropriate visual guide offering a few Japanese phrases alongside the English narrative, this book presents scenes of daily life that tidily fit within a framework of characteristic associations with Japan: cherry blossoms filling the sky; a traditional Japanese breakfast of rice, salted fish, pickled plums, and soup; and bowing to say "hello and thank you." The cartoonish illustrations resemble young children’s drawings and may appeal especially to those who are beginning to engage with colors and forms on the printed page. However, for some, the depictions of a garden walk, a market visit, and bathing methods speak more to nostalgia and tropes than to quotidian realities—cherry blossoms are a prime example of what comes to mind when many picture Japan but are in season only a few weeks a year. For this reason, assertions such as “we say” and “we eat” can feel prescriptive. The people portrayed all have beige- or peach-toned skin and rosy cheeks as well as dark hair (except for a gray-haired character) and dark dots for eyes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gentle yet predictable child’s-eye view of Japan. (summary of expressions and practices) (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-64686-629-8
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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