A beautiful and creative exploration of size and relativity.
Examples of “big,” “little,” and “tiny” produce unexpected juxtapositions.
Opening with “Big Bear / little chair,” the lean text introduces a series of seemingly unrelated pairings of “big” and “little,” such as a big plant and a little cocoon, a big bird and a little umbrella, a big zebra and a little broom. A second series of “big” and “little” pairings begins with “Big Chair / little bear” and includes a big owl on a little branch, a big meadow with a little salamander, a big lion with a little wagon. Both big and little bear return for the final series, where a “tiny” element’s added to the “big” and “little” combinations: a big mouse, a little bus, and a tiny driver; a big ladder, a little turtle, and a tiny book. Font changes, trim, and illustrations reinforce the textual focus on size. The tall, skinny format alerts readers to expect the unexpected, while large, small, and tiny font sizes mirror the text. Stylized illustrations rely on subdued blacks, grays, and whites with pops of bright red, along with flat patterns, repetitive lines, and lots of whimsy, to illuminate each distinctive visual vignette. The absence of any obvious rationale (other than size) linking these vignettes invites readers (big, little, and tiny) to imagine their own connections.
A beautiful and creative exploration of size and relativity. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-4447-4
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...
Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.
The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-4779-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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