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NITA'S DAY

From the Little Hands Signing series

A handy resource for hearing and Deaf families alike.

A toddler signs in American Sign Language throughout the day.

Nita, who has beige skin and a blue bun on either side of their head, wakes up, receives a diaper change, dresses, and more, with two loving caregivers, also beige-skinned. Related signs for each of these activities (wake-up, change, and clothes, respectively) are demonstrated by Nita on panels revealed when the page is expanded by tugging on a tab. One or two images of Nita appear making the sign with directional arrows and short descriptions as needed. While these panels may be an engaging gimmick for active toddler readers, they make the book inordinately heavy and may not stand up to robust play. Tabbed pages make flipping to the correct sign easy for sleep-deprived parents using the book as a reference. Short, simple, descriptive sentences put the signs in context. Brezzi’s stylized cartoons are clear and accessible, employing a wide range of patterns and unusual colors. On the back page, a note for grown-ups encourages using sign language throughout the day to help children manage transitions and make sense of their world. The author’s webpage provides a video of the author sharing all the signs. Deaf culture, ASL, and early-childhood content were vetted by experts, making it suitable for Deaf children or families who want to incorporate sign into their daily routine.

A handy resource for hearing and Deaf families alike. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: May 12, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-64170-148-8

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Familius

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020

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WHERE DO YOU POOP?

A fun, new take on droppings.

Youngsters can learn about where and how various animals, domestic and wild, relieve themselves.

Via a pull-tab embedded in each recto (not, thankfully, in the rectum) readers can see the before and after, and a goldfish in a bowl leaves a trail while swimming. The verso asks each creature where it does its business, and then a (sometimes-forced) rhyming quatrain, translated from Italian, answers the question: “And where do YOU poop, mouse? / When inside my tummy / Starts to feel not so good / It’s time for a poop / On these chips made of wood!” The final double-page spread queries readers: “And where do YOU poop?” A redheaded, White toddler’s face is visible below this question; the pull-tab on the right opens a bathroom to reveal a White toddler, this time with medium brown hair, happily and modestly sitting on a blue toddler potty. The accompanying quatrain provides some developmentally appropriate guidance for feeling the signs of a movement coming on. Baruzzi’s art is droll and graphically clean (inasmuch as the depiction of excrement can be described that way). Little fingers may need some help finding the relatively easy-to-open and sturdy pull-tabs, since they blend into each page. It works as both a biology lesson and potty-training encouragement.  

A fun, new take on droppings. (Novelty board book. 18 mos.-3)

Pub Date: May 11, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-66265-042-0

Page Count: 16

Publisher: minedition

Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021

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LET'S CARE FOR BABY!

Sure to inspire care for babies and books alike.

A board book with movable parts especially for little ones moving into big-siblinghood.

The book’s sturdy pages open top to bottom to display a vertically oriented baby with peachy skin that early text invites readers to massage. On the bottom of the first spread, readers are invited to “Put the diaper on Baby and fasten it,” and the illustration is equipped with flaps that lift up and tuck into slots in the diaper’s waistband. Movable nail scissors glide back and forth to trim the baby’s nails, and an ear thermometer with a slider to reveal the digital measurement of the baby’s temperature offers another chance to manipulate and interact with the book. Ensuing pages with similar movable parts invite readers to dress, wash, and feed the baby, while the final spread tells them to “Tuck Baby into the sleep sack.” While most parts of the book are impressively durable, a few fragile elements (small buttons on the bodysuit and the aforementioned diaper fasteners) will likely provoke warnings to be careful and are unlikely to stand up to enthusiastic little hands. Nevertheless, the book’s bold illustrations and inviting interactivity will surely make it a hit with many new and soon-to-be big brothers and sisters, not to mention any baby-fascinated toddlers.

Sure to inspire care for babies and books alike. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017

ISBN: 979-1-02-760302-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle

Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018

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