A high-energy board book celebrates intergenerational relationships.
Brief rhymes and alliteration describe what grandpas do. Young children will quickly join in on the refrain, “Go, Grandpa, go!” The grandpas are notably diverse, with a range of skin tones, hair colors, clothing, and ages represented. Four of the grandpas and one of the children wear glasses. One of the grandpas is bald; three have beards; one sports a gray mustache. The children are equally representative, with one in a wheelchair. A child in a dress plays with a firetruck; another wears both a baseball cap and bumblebee wings. A companion volume, Go, Grandma, Go! makes similar sensitive choices. A grandma shops for groceries, but so does a grandpa. If anything, the grandmas’ activities are more strenuous than their counterparts’, including sliding down a slide, sledding, surfing, and hiking. The grandpas’ most daring activities are examining a beehive (inaccurately represented) and stomping in a mud puddle. Busy illustrations against clean backgrounds fill in details and give youngsters plenty to talk about, but that refrain reminds them to turn the page. Quiet snuggle time brings a satisfying end to each book. Are two separate titles really needed? Yes—to give equal attention to both grandpas and grandmas and to serve families whose grandparents don’t come in pairs.
No ageist stereotypes here! These active grandparents are indeed on the go. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-5224-4
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S POETRY
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Farm animals make realistic noises as youngsters press embedded tactile features.
“Pat the cow’s back to hear her ‘Moo!’ ” Readers can press the fuzzy, black circle on a Holstein cow to hear its recorded noise. This formula is repeated on each double-page spread, one per farm critter (roosters, piglets, lambs and horses). Using stock photography, several smaller images of the animals appear on the left, and a full-page close-up dominates the right. The final two pages are a review of the five farmyard creatures and include a photo of each as well as a review of their sounds in succession via a touch of a button. While the layout is a little busy, the selection of photos and the tactile elements are nicely diverse. The text is simple enough for little ones, encourages interaction (“Can you baa like a lamb?”) and uses animal-specific vocabulary (fleece; mane). The sister title, Noisy Trucks (978-1-58925-609-5), follows much the same format, but, here, the stars are big rigs, monster trucks, fire trucks, backhoes and cement mixers. While the photos will thrill the vehicle-obsessed, the noises are less distinctive, save the fire truck’s siren. The facts about each type of vehicle provide just enough information: “A fire truck has a loud siren, ladders to climb, and hoses that spray water.” Despite the age recommendation of 3 years and up suggested on the back cover, the construction (with the battery secured by screw behind a plastic panel) looks sturdy and safe enough for younger readers.
A happily multisensory exploration. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-610-1
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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