Adorable animals, a succinct and amusing text, and a happy ending ensure that the author/illustrator’s fans will enjoy her...
Patience pays off for a persistent young kangaroo trying to make friends with a shy koala.
Like many young children, “Kangaroo love[s] to blow bubbles.” Both the pail she dips her bubble wand into and the bubbles she blows are a soft blue. When she notices yellow bubbles floating by, she follows them and is thrilled to find a little koala with a yellow pail. Koala, however, is not so enthusiastic. In fact, Koala retreats up a tree and rebuffs Kangaroo’s friendly overtures. Temporarily daunted, Kangaroo retreats. When she sees more yellow bubbles heading her way, Kangaroo returns to find that Koala is now willing to interact, though still from a distance. After an unexpected development, Koala finds the courage to take the lead. Chase’s straightforward and conversational text has an appealing rhythm created in part through repetition. In addition to accurately depicting the action, her watercolor-and–pen-and-ink illustrations add humor and heart. The pictures feature charming, childlike characters in a lightly sketched pastoral setting placed against generous amounts of white space. Though simple, they convey emotion effectively and capture Kangaroo’s bouncy enthusiasm, Koala’s initial fearful timidity, and Koala’s brave determination afterward.
Adorable animals, a succinct and amusing text, and a happy ending ensure that the author/illustrator’s fans will enjoy her latest outing—and will likely win her some new ones too. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-399-54574-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
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
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