A small, artless introduction to a terrier with an independent spirit. As soon as he’s old enough to leave his cozy bed, Tucker displays the urge for adventure, learning how to balance on a skateboard, dive off the sofa, and dig deep holes in the snow—all skills that come in handy one winter day when he jumps onto a sled. Down the slope it careens, coming to an abrupt stop that sends him looping into a snow bank. Up rushes a child to cuddle him, followed by his siblings and worried mother. Through it all, Tucker shows not a trace of fear, though he does enjoy all the subsequent attention. With pictures that rival Sandra Boynton’s for clean-lined simplicity, and a text that is not cut down to bare description, this book, similar to John Schoenherr’s Rebel (1995), gives children who are ready for the first step of adventure some reassurance that they won’t be left out in the cold. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-525-46259-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1999
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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The perennially popular lift-the-flap format combines with the equally well-received invitation to make animal noises in this pleasing romp through a variety of regions and biomes. An African child on the riverbank asks, “Who can snap?” Lift the flap in the reeds for the answer: “I’m a crocodile. I can!” A duck in a farm pond, a panda in a bamboo grove, a wolf on the tundra and a parrot in an Asian jungle follow in succession, all leading to a final spread that unites all the children: “And we all can sing!” Mockford’s illustrations employ baby-friendly bold, black outlines and vibrant colors. A companion volume, Walk with Me (ISBN: 978-1-84686-179-6), explores animal locomotion. (6-24 mos.)
Pub Date: March 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-84686-180-2
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2009
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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Cheerful, flashy colors herald this book for toddlers from Murphy (Caterpillar’s Wish, p. 454, etc.). The stout pages depict the doings of a young, boldly outlined penguin, who is making a lot of noise. He (or she) bangs pots, jumps a lot, roller skates around the house, and in each instance, a parent penguin asks for quiet, until finally: “Outside, please!” The youngster waltzes down the garden path, where he meets up with his pals, a piglet and a bunny, for some hopping, rolling, and puddle-jumping. When his mother says he can return to the house, he has an idea: He can dance around in a pair of socks to muffle the noise. “Clever you!” says his mother. The simple, recognizable antics along with the flamboyant blue, yellow, and red should catch and hold onlookers, as will the closing page; the little penguin, now settled in his mother’s lap along with the baby, tells the crying child, “Please be quiet!” What goes around, comes around, in this jolly glimpse of a child’s noisy needs. (Picture book. 1-4)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-395-97113-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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