Delicious on its own, and it will pair well with other books about gardens, plants and healthy eating habits.
This simplest of informational picture books offers a sensible, sunny celebration of the plants—specifically the parts of plants—that we eat.
The opening scene shows a boy seated at table surrounded by a rich harvest. He’s holding a watermelon rind that mirrors the wide grin he wears, helping to set the good-natured tone of the book. As preschoolers examine the pages, they will learn about the featured fruits and vegetables and how they grew. Warm gouache-and–colored-pencil illustrations first depict a garden where “Plants reach up for the sun. / They grow down in the ground.” As the narrator goes on to explain that “I eat different parts from different plants,” such as roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, flowers and seeds, youngsters will find labeled images to peruse. The short, declarative sentences are easily digested by the very youngest and will tempt burgeoning readers to test their skills. Best of all, children will surely be inspired to taste some of the produce the next time it appears on their plates.
Delicious on its own, and it will pair well with other books about gardens, plants and healthy eating habits. (Informational picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2526-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
Combine monsters, ridiculousness, and audience participation for a delightfully raucous result.
Though this book is all about monsters’ bedtime routines, don’t be fooled—this will induce not sleep but its opposite.
Young readers see each step the monsters take in getting ready for bed and are asked to guess which of several items they might eat for a bedtime snack, use to take a bath and brush their teeth, wear as pajamas, snuggle with, and kiss. The very simple sentences and clues in the bright illustrations allow even the youngest children to “read” this very quickly. “MONSTERS eat bedtime snacks. / Which snack do MONSTERS eat?” A glass of milk, a carrot, a piece of bread, or an umbrella? A turn of the page reveals “MONSTERS eat UMBRELLAS!” Similarly, monsters ignore the rubber ducky, shampoo, and bar of soap in favor of bathing in chocolate pudding. By the third question, most children will have caught on and will be happily blurting out the most ridiculous item on the page, which also happens to stand out clearly from the other three. Helpfully, the author breaks this pattern when it comes to potty time. In his ink, brush, and Photoshop illustrations, Zenz uses bright, plain backgrounds to keep the focus on the characters and their choices. The monsters are adorable and wonderfully diverse in all their multilimbed and -eyed glory, featuring sprouts of hair, horns, tails, and spikes.
Combine monsters, ridiculousness, and audience participation for a delightfully raucous result. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1653-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
Yummy cuteness for toddlers and preschoolers.
Celebrate dumplings from around the world.
Rhyming couplets introduce the idea that dumplings are ubiquitous. “We’re little dumplings! / We’re found everywhere! / All the world’s cultures / have dumplings to share.” Written for very young readers, the poem sticks to generalities and few specifics. “We take many shapes, / some big and some small. / And we’re delicious! / You’ll love us all!” Accompanying digital illustrations dominated by bright blocks of color portray diverse people with dot eyes and smiley faces, but it is the exuberant dumplings themselves that steal the show. Dozens of different types of dumplings with kawaii-style happy faces populate landscapes, are fried in pans, or are served on platters. Every happy dumpling is captioned with its name (from wontons to pierogi to samosas), and backmatter lists every one that appears in the book along with its pronunciation and associated regions. No information is given about what fills them or what they taste like, and the poem’s meter is often uneven, making it awkward to read aloud. Little ones won’t mind—they’ll be captivated by the plethora of wrapped cuteness, and the simple message will resonate. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Yummy cuteness for toddlers and preschoolers. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-79721-692-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
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