This collection of nursery rhymes amazes in its comprehensiveness; favorites like the title rhyme and “London Bridge Is Falling Down” as well as relative unknowns are included here, all illustrated in fascinating three-dimensional collage incorporating paint, clay, and other items. Over 60 rhymes appear, sometimes three to a page, resulting in a design that’s a bit crowded, but readers young and old will appreciate the sheer number. No one will get bored, even after multiple readings; it may even be more fun to open this at random and read only a few rhymes at a time than to read through from start to finish. The virtually tactile illustrations provide appealing accompaniment to the rhymes; bright colors add an especially fanciful note: Old Mother Hubbard’s dog is adorned with purple spots, and cheerful greens, yellows, pinks, and oranges feature prominently in every spread. The most successful spreads are those featuring only one rhyme: the giant, pink-cheeked, purple-spotted cow flying across a baby blue sky with an orange cat on her back on the “Hey, Diddle, Diddle” page is remarkably striking. The clay figurines and textured brushstrokes resemble folk art and suit the topic of nursery rhymes perfectly, since the rhymes themselves are a form of folklore. Nursery rhymes are perennial favorites: this compendium is more complete and more charmingly illustrated than most. (Picture book. 2-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-8050-6754-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2003
A testament to the universality of love.
An expanded explanation of love in both English and Spanish.
Several animal personalities pose the question, “What is love?” and in a series of lift-the-flap responses present various emotional scenarios. Little Elephant asks Spider, “Is it the joy of having you around?” Spider asks, “Is it the way you lift me when I’m down?” Each page corresponds to a flap that reveals one of a multitude of feelings love can evoke in either an English or Spanish rhyme, which are not direct translations of each other. An interspersed refrain notes, “Amor for the Spanish, / and love en inglés. / Love in any language / always means the same.” A palette of pastels and purple and pink hues dominate as hearts abound on each page, surrounding the characters, who are adorable though on the overly sweet side. The characters are from the bilingual preschool series Canticos, though it will work even among those without knowledge of the show. Children more fluent in Spanish will be better able to appreciate this, and those familiar with the show will recognize the signature characters, including “Los Pollitos” (Little Chickies). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A testament to the universality of love. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-945635-72-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Energetic woodcuts accompany playfully simple poems as they give young readers an engaging tour of the barnyard. From the usual suspects—rooster, cow, sheep—to some of the less celebrated denizens of the farm—snake, bees, turtle—each poem varies to suit its subject. The barn cat’s verse is succinct: “Mice / had better / think twice.” The snake’s winds its way down the page in sinuous shape. At their best, Elliott’s images are unexpected and all the more lovely: The turtle “Lifts her fossil head / and blinks / one, two, three / times in the awful light.” Others are not so successful, but Meade’s illustrations give them credence: The rooster “Crows and struts. / He’s got feathers! / He’s got guts!” This rhythmic but rather opaque assertion is accompanied by an oversized rooster who dominates the foreground; eyes shut in concentration, he levitates himself with the force of his crow—the very embodiment of “guts.” Farmyard books are a dime a dozen, but this one is a worthwhile addition, for those poems that reach beyond the ordinary and for the good-natured illustrations that complement them. (Picture book/poetry. 2-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3322-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2008
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