This sunny selection beckons.
A celebration of the senses on the sand and by the shore.
The oceanside boardwalk bustles from dawn's first light until night's starry skies. Families and friends relax and play, leisurely enjoying a stroll or dancing at dusk. The outdoor setting offers an array of activities. Even a passing storm only temporarily deters beachgoers, though a small group of children jumps in the downpour. The consequences of too much fun in the sun (an exhausted child nestles on his daddy's shoulder, his balloon trailing from his fist) serve as a quiet counterpart to the earlier excitement. The boardwalk’s employees are visibly part of the activity. The ice-cream vendor hurries to keep up with orders; a man sweeps the boards at day's end, a stray cat his only companion. Rhyming quatrains evoke the ebb and flow of the ocean's waves, beginning and ending with the same phrase. “At the boardwalk / jumbled joys / Hermit crabs and pirate toys / Arcade games make lots of noise / At the boardwalk / jumbled joys.” Shaded, intricate illustrations depict each individual plank on the pier. The rising and setting sun, in a vivid assortment of hazy hues, marks the passage of the day.
This sunny selection beckons. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-58925-104-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
Although a bit on the slight side, this offering is infused with a warm, light humor just right for cuddling up with a young...
This title previously published in the U.K. takes a cozy look at all kinds of kisses.
Walsh’s rhyming text is full of cutesy rhythms: “Kisses on noses, kisses on toes-es. Sudden kisses when you least supposes.” Sometimes the phrasing stumbles: “Who likes to kiss? I do! I do! Even the shy do. Why not try, too?” But toddlers and young preschoolers will probably not mind. They will be too engaged in spotting the lively penguin on each spread and too charmed by Abbot’s winsome illustrations that fittingly extend the wording in the story. Patient dogs queue up for a smooch from a frog prince, cool blue “ ’normous elephants” contrast strikingly with bright red “little tiny ants” and a bewildered monkey endures a smattering of lipstick kisses. Be the kiss small or tall, one to start or end the day, young readers are reminded that “the very best kiss… / is a kiss from you!” Perhaps no big surprise but comforting nonetheless.
Although a bit on the slight side, this offering is infused with a warm, light humor just right for cuddling up with a young tyke or sharing with a gathering for storytime. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Dec. 20, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2769-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2011
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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