A cute infant-scientist offering that’s better tuned to its audience than many of its ilk.
Toddlers learn about some of the aspects of being an astronaut.
Dressed in a jaunty red spacesuit and sporting two cute ponytails on either side of her round face, Baby Astronaut is ready for liftoff. Accompanying her on the space shuttle is a little owl. Once in space Baby Astronaut can see the moon, stars, Mars, Venus, and Earth. She also conducts some experiments: “Can plants grow in space? Yes! / Can ants live in space? Yes!” Young readers are also introduced to the concept of gravity at a very simple level. In companion title Baby Oceanographer, a baby with just a wisp of a brown curl dons a wetsuit and flippers to explore the ocean. This baby’s sidekick is a very expressive little red crab. Once in the ocean, Baby encounters a dolphin, an octopus, other marine life, and even a volcano. Readers are also introduced to waves and salinity: “Baby Oceanographer tests ocean water and fresh water. / Ocean water has salt. Fresh water has no salt.” Baby Astronaut has olive skin and black hair, and Baby Oceanographer presents white. The concepts in both books are presented simply, and the illustrations are uncluttered and engaging; such details as a mohawked comet and a yellow submersible add humor.
A cute infant-scientist offering that’s better tuned to its audience than many of its ilk. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-284134-6
Page Count: 22
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
It's easier to be the hunter than the hunted in this board book that represents the food chain.
Each character appears safe at first glance, but a neutral or smug facial expression turns to trepidation when a predator (or pesky nuisance) hurries it off the page. A frog chases the bee; a snake pursues the frog; a mongoose hunts the snake, and so on: “Scary mongoose, / scary mongoose… / why do you flee? // Because there's a fierce lion chasing me!” There's no relief from the hunt in this circular tale; even the king of the jungle expresses fear when a hunter in safari gear approaches with a net, and guess who's after the hunter? Exaggerated body language and comical facial expressions blunt any potential fright. Italicized type emphasizes rhythmic phrases. The mixed-media scenes feature squiggly black lines that convey energy and movement. The brevity of the text suits the compact offering. Unfortunately, this selection suffers from an unnecessary tactile gimmick. Due to sparkling fabric wings on the cover, a choking-hazard label warns the selection unsuitable for children younger than 3; it's simply a puzzling decision, as the toddler audience would benefit the most from these sturdy pages. This unnecessary, flimsy accessory diminishes the book’s effectiveness. (Board book. 2-4)
Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-316-12707-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: LB Kids/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 29, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Hands down, this subject is a poor choice for a board format.
This hand-shaped effort describes the purpose and power behind people's hands.
Wordy spreads discuss the differences between right and left, challenging readers to examine them and use them in a variety of ways. The text is utterly at odds developmentally with the toddling audience. “Cross your wrists so that your RIGHT hand is now on the LEFT and your LEFT hand is now on the RIGHT.” The text asks the child listeners to place their hands over the front and back covers (in the shape of two hands) to distinguish their right from left. Unfortunately, the pages' shapes are the opposite inside, so the "right hand" appears on the left side when facing readers. A hodgepodge of instructions and vignettes clutters the already cramped pages. Tiny cartoon illustrations sometimes appear odd and even disconcerting in context. “Do any of your other fingers do special things? We use our forefinger to say, be quiet!” The corresponding image depicts a slouching boy with trumpet in hand; a woman towers over him with her shaking finger in an angry reprimand.
Hands down, this subject is a poor choice for a board format. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7641-6517-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Barron's
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
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