While most potty books strike readers as too old or too young, here’s one that almost everyone can agree is (you guessed it)...
A classic fairy tale is cleverly reworked for those transitioning from diapers.
Breaking out buckets o’ charm, Hodgkinson tackles the finicky tendencies of the soon-to-be potty-trained with the aid of a familiar face. Living in the woods with her mommy and daddy (not an ursine porridge-eater to be seen), Goldilocks (unsurprisingly, a blonde, white girl) decides one day that soggy diapers are not ideal. But what underwear suits her best? Nothing too frilly and nothing too silly, but undies that are “just right!” Next comes the search for a potty itself. She rejects a pair of boots as too big and a teacup as too small (child readers may well find this hilarious, even as caregivers sigh in relief when she moves on). Correct potty secured, the final challenge is the hardest, as any toddler will attest. When is it the “just right” time to sit on the potty? Sprinkling her art with images of bear toys, Hodgkinson creates mixed-media illustrations that lend the simple text a peppy tone that encourages young readers to keep trying through their setbacks. And thanks to the easy language, this book proves ideal for a wide range of potty training ages (a nice change of pace from potty books that truck in complex sentence structures).
While most potty books strike readers as too old or too young, here’s one that almost everyone can agree is (you guessed it) just right. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9799-0
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Despite an illustrative technique that resembles collage with various textured papers, the mostly bright and seemingly...
Bond, illustrator of the If You Give… series, falls short in her attempt to celebrate hugs of all kinds everywhere.
Despite an illustrative technique that resembles collage with various textured papers, the mostly bright and seemingly tactile creatures still appear flat as they lie upon stark white backgrounds. The brief text begins with the statement, “Everyone hugs all over the world.” The litany of mostly opposite pairs fails to engage young readers as the pages flip by. First comes a list of different animal hugs (cats/dogs, hamsters/hippos), followed by directional concepts (upstairs/downstairs, inside/outside, here/there) and then more opposites (winter/summer, day/night). The last two double-page spreads come full circle to reiterate the initial declaration. The final spread then shows all of the animals featured in the story, reduced in size and floating around the Earth. Though individual illustrations display Bond's customary whimsy, poor contrast in some makes the animals difficult to distinguish. She is to be applauded for expanding beyond her usual style, but this métier needs more development—or perhaps a real narrative line—to work well.Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-399-25614-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This companion book to Always (2008) traverses familiar picture-book territory. A young boy, probably primary-school age, clambers on a stone wall while his mother follows alongside in the grass. Their conversation begins, “Did you push me in a carriage when I was a baby?” Mother flashes back to all the things she did for her son as an infant: pushing him on a swing, feeding him “squished peas” and giving him “bubble baths in the kitchen sink.” She then reminds him that he is older and can now do those things on his own. The spare but often bland text is rescued by Phelan’s deft use of watercolor, which injects sly humor into the boy’s independent actions. From a delightfully mismatched outfit to an exuberant mess of a breakfast for mom, the red-haired tyke aims to balance his new skills and confidence with assurance that his mother will always “be there.” And he does—bravely jumping from the wall without any help while watchful mom proudly looks on. The brief text coupled with quiet, warm illustrations is best suited for young preschoolers but lacks the power of the classic Guess How Much I Love You or Mama, Do You Love Me? (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4711-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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