An endearing introduction to the life of a fox kit.
Throughout the four seasons of the year, a fox kit explores the world outside its den.
The book opens with a woodland scene featuring multiple animals as the first-person narrator poses a question directly to readers: “I am a fox. Do you see me?” It is springtime, and while the other animals are active during the day and night, the little fox prefers to “slink” at dusk and dawn. The story quickly transitions to summer, and readers follow the agile young fox as it hunts, feeds, and sleeps. In the autumn, we see the fox playing with its sister and chasing rabbits. The closing spreads find the winsome creature in its den with its family as they “curl into slumber balls” for the winter. With the verbal motif compared to used all throughout the story, the kit points out how it is dissimilar to other wild creatures. For instance, compared to hummingbirds, who fly near the kit as it speeds across the grass, the kit is slow; but compared to a turtle, the kit is fast. The text features descriptive action verbs: The fox sees lambs who gambol, owls who swoop, and its sister who leaps and pounces. Animals are slightly anthropomorphized (a turtle glares at the kit as it races by, and the kit refers to its mother as “my mama”) but not problematically. Overall, children learn the basics about the habitats, habits, and diet of foxes (though the kit is not shown eating other animals). Rendered in gouache, colored pencil, ink, and digital mixed media, the soft, cozy illustrations are warm and inviting.
An endearing introduction to the life of a fox kit. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7459-4
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
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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