A dash of mystery and a spoonful of seek-and-find make for a heap of fun.
Little Bunny and Grandma go on an ingredient-finding adventure to make a surprise breakfast.
With several flaps to lift and doors and windows to open, the book invites readers along on the hunt for cooking supplies for a mystery breakfast. Each two-page spread poses a specific question directed to readers, such as “Can you find some delicious berries?” The berries are revealed after looking behind an upside-down flowerpot, pulling back the leaves on a tree, and peeking inside a basket. Each scene includes some flaps that hide objects other than what the bunnies are looking for (as in a dozing mouse beneath that flowerpot). Toddlers and preschoolers will get such a thrill out of this “game.” They’ll also get to use their predictive pre-reading skills and use context clues when the culminating question—“Can you guess what the bunnies made?”—is finally answered. The bunnies are adorable, as is the attention to detail. A tiny cookbook on the kitchen table titled Breakfast for Bunnies, by Bunny Oliver (which actually opens!), cleverly reappears throughout the book. At the very end, it is shown large-scale with an actual recipe to try. Smith and Braun’s simultaneously publishing Picnic With Mommy is similar in format, although it’s missing the fun of the central mystery that propels this book along. With the fun of discovering what lies behind each flap, the joy of playing with Little Bunny, and a simple real-life recipe, this one is sure to be enjoyed.
A dash of mystery and a spoonful of seek-and-find make for a heap of fun. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68010-623-7
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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