The transition from his crib to a big-boy bed may prove to be too much for Jed and his exasperated family. Jed loves his cozy and comfortable crib, but one day his family decides to surprise him with a bed. As if taking his cue from Goldilocks, Jed proclaims that this new bed is too big, too new, and definitely too blue. Jed’s family tries everything to coax him out of his sour mood. His sister answers his fear of rolling out with a railing; Auntie Stella arrives with a brand-new set of pajamas; and Uncle Stan produces new bedding. But Jed will not budge. Exasperated, his father calls in reinforcements and Grandma arrives to try her influence. Finally Jed’s sister devises a plan: as the whole family snuggles into his bed and feigns sleep, suddenly that’s where Jed wants to be. Childlike artwork, rendered with broad brushstrokes and bright colors, swirls across the pages. A simple rhyming cadence, with only a few minor stumbles, keeps the text bright and suggests that this might be a good read-aloud selection for children reluctant to move into a big bed of their own. A funny look at a common parenting hurdle. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8037-2562-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fluffy and fun, as expected.
A lonely little cloud named Ploof needs your help.
This interactive picture book directly addresses children, encouraging participation with Ploof. When Ploof is feeling shy, readers are told to clap for encouragement. Similarly, when the cloud “runs…out of steam,” readers are asked to “blow softly on Ploof” to “puff Ploof back up.” The illustrations are simple and clear. For the most part, the recto of each spread includes text set against a white background, while the verso depicts the cloud against a soft, sky-blue background—an effect that focuses readers’ attention on Ploof. This little white cotton ball of a cloud has an expressive face and large, oval-shaped eyes, used to great effect to convey Ploof’s shyness, weariness, and worry. The seek-and-find pages might be the most fun; readers must spot Ploof, who’s hiding among a field of sheep and in a sky full of kites. Interactive books like this are popular for a reason, and this one fits the mold rather than breaking it. Adults and caregivers looking for a sweet, reader-facing read-aloud will be satisfied with this one; those seeking something nonformulaic need to look elsewhere. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Fluffy and fun, as expected. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781774881927
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
Karlin (The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat, 1996, etc.) echoes Dick, Jane, and Sally—``I see the can. I can kick the can''—but the resemblance is fleeting, for the wordplay in this I-Can-Read entry is clever and bright. Young readers will be amused at the flurry of homonyms—``I can see a fly fly'' among them. There are excursions into past and present, and pokes at pronouns and the and a. Anchoring the book, which is narrated by two kittens, is the word ``seesaw.'' Karlin breaks it up, twists it around, and generally makes merry with the word's many possibilities. ``Look, a saw,'' says one kitten. ``I can see the saw,'' replies the other. ``I can saw the seesaw.'' But a frog gets the last lick: ``And I saw you saw the seesaw''—a grammatically slick tongue-twister. Simple watercolor illustrations crisply depict the meaning of the words, cutting through the ambiguity, and leaving readers with nothing but the purest pleasure. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: May 11, 1997
ISBN: 0-06-026677-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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