Next book

NO, SILLY!

A well-paced romp with nifty response opportunities for little ones.

Four young friends describe their favorite things to do throughout the day, and sometimes those descriptions take a very silly turn.

In direct first-person narration, a little bear tells readers how he likes to sleep. “I like to sleep in my bed. / I like to sleep in my dad’s big chair. // I like to sleep on my mama’s lap. / And I like to sleep on cookies.” What?! On cookies? This absurdity gives child listeners the chance to gleefully shout, “No, silly! You eat cookies,” as the page is turned to reveal the correct thing to do with cookies. Youngsters will delight in spotting right (“I like to eat apples”) from wrong (“I like to eat books”) in each situation, the turn of the page always giving them ample time to point out a correction. Krug’s oil-paint illustrations are cheery and bright, which add to the whimsy, and interchanging framed pages with double-page spreads gives extra visual cues to help readers spot the silly parts. Facial expressions, alas, are sometimes a bit off. Readers will notice that one correction leads to the next activity, so the cookies lead to eating other foodstuffs, and the aforementioned “books” lead to reading, and so on. The sleepy, nighttime conclusion both brings the slight narrative full circle and makes this a surprising bedtime possibility.

A well-paced romp with nifty response opportunities for little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4814-0066-4

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014

Next book

TILDA TRIES AGAIN

From the Big Bright Feelings series

An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.

What do you do when the world turns upside down?

Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.

An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022

Next book

I AM A PEACEFUL GOLDFISH

A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.

What can you do when things go wrong?

Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.

A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: April 13, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Greystone Kids

Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021

Close Quickview