If reading with a caring adult, children can show off what they know and extend their learning, though there’s not much...
Flatt and Barron’s fourth and final entry in the Math in Nature series rounds out the seasons with a look at shapes in the summer.
From 2-D to 3-D, Flatt explores all sorts of shapes, though only rarely do either the text or the gorgeous cut-paper collages reflect shapes actually found in nature. Moles dig out tunnels in the shapes of rectangles, triangles and squares, while ghost crabs use the sand excavated from their holes to build spheres, prisms and cylinders. A spread depicting a beaver’s dam asks readers to find 3-D shapes with various numbers of faces. From shapes, Flatt moves on to explore such relational concepts as above, below, under, over, beside, etc. A pond scene challenges readers’ knowledge of symmetry; dolphins turn, flip and slide; and two final scenes ask readers to look at placement. Barron’s artwork continues to be the major draw, as this latest shares the flaws of the other books in the series. The rhythm and rhyme are inconsistent, sometimes dropping altogether, and the book lacks an answer key. The audience isn’t clear—those who are drawn to picture books may find themselves in over their heads, as the concepts and vocabulary are not explained. This entry also mixes math with a bit of science, with murky results. Backmatter gives a brief paragraph of information about each featured animal.
If reading with a caring adult, children can show off what they know and extend their learning, though there’s not much realistic about the nature. (Math picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-926973-87-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
A solid introduction to the ninth month of the year and all the joys it ushers in.
Martin’s latest in a series that personifies the months of the year follows a young girl who exemplifies all things fall.
Tan-skinned, bespectacled September is all about autumn, from the cozy sweater she wears to the red and green leaves tangled in her long hair. She’s thrilled to start school with Ms. Seasons, her new teacher, who gives the class an exciting new assignment: embarking on a fall nature watch and checking off signs of the new season. Friends August and October accompany September as they observe apple trees, a campfire, a scarecrow (and a crow), and, finally, the elusive fall-colored leaf. September, who has a cochlear implant and is of Latine heritage, also tells her classmates—and readers—about other important things going on this month. She gives presentations on Deaf Awareness Month (and goes over the American Sign Language alphabet) and Hispanic Heritage Month (and teaches her classmates the phrase “Hola, amigo”). The book closes with discussion questions, a prompt for readers, and an applesauce recipe. Though light on tension or conflict, the story serves its purpose well: introducing children to the hallmarks of the season. Kids nervous about back-to-school—another marker of September—will feel soothed by the protagonist’s sunny outlook. Martin’s illustrations appear digital and are rife with autumnal elements; September’s design is a particular highlight.
A solid introduction to the ninth month of the year and all the joys it ushers in. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781464261633
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
Laugh-out-loud fun for all.
Hilarious complications ensue when Nanette’s mom gives her the responsibility of buying the family baguette.
She sets out on her errand and encounters lots of distractions along the way as she meets and greets Georgette, Suzette, Bret with his clarinet, Mr. Barnett and his pet, Antoinette. But she remembers her mission and buys the baguette from Juliette the baker. And oh, it is a wonderful large, warm, aromatic hunk of bread, so Nanette takes a taste and another and more—until there is nothing left. Maybe she needs to take a jet to Tibet. But she faces her mother and finds understanding, tenderness, and a surprise twist. Willems is at his outlandish best with line after line of “ettes” and their absurd rhymes, all the while demonstrating a deep knowledge of children’s thought processes. Nanette and the entire cast of characters are bright green frogs with very large round eyes, heavily outlined in black and clad in eccentric clothing and hats. A highly detailed village constructed of cardboard forms the background for Nanette’s adventures. Her every emotion explodes all over the pages in wildly expressive, colorful vignettes and an eye-popping use of emphatic display type. The endpapers follow the fate of the baguette from fresh and whole to chewed and gone. Demands for encores will surely follow.
Laugh-out-loud fun for all. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4847-2286-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016
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