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SNOW DAY

Name: SNOW DAY
Author: Lynn Plourde
ISBN: 0-689-82600-1

by Lynn Plourde & illustrated by Hideko Takahashi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2001

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This picture book will challenge, and likely enthrall, young readers with its jagged cadence and wealth of imaginary words, all the while soothing them with Takahashi’s artwork, which, despite the clarity of its color and lines, has an air-brushed softness. The story follows a young girl and her brother on a snow day. Inside the house, all is snuggly; outside, all is blustery: “Wooooo-ooooo! / Wild, whirling wind / Crashes limbs to lines. / Lights dance. Flick-a-lick. / Lights die. Flick-a-flooo.” When the storm passes, the family heads outdoors. “Snow day walk. / Sluggingly, trudgingly slow. / Snow day shovel. / Grunt, push, pick up, pwoosh.” Not all is drudge, as there are sleighs to be ridden and snow angels to be swept. The wind-down is as tender as a lullaby. A minor clash develops between Takahashi’s warm-hearted illustrations and Plourde’s at times unmusical, eccentric text, but Takahashi creates a common ground by investing the children with owlish eyeballs. And she has caught the magic of a snow day, one of childhood’s unexpected gifts, to give the story a natural buoyancy. (Picture book. 2-5)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2001

ISBN: 0-689-82600-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2001

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

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by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Mike Lowery

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GO, GRANDPA, GO!
by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Sophie Beer

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PEPPA'S GIANT PUMPKIN

From the Peppa Pig series

by Samantha Lizzio ; illustrated by eOne ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2019

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.

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Peppa hopes to join her classmates in a Halloween pumpkin competition in this adaptation of a story from the popular British television program Peppa Pig.

With the help of Granny and Grandpa Pig, Peppa turns her giant pumpkin, which is the size of a compact car, into a jack-o’-lantern. The trio is flummoxed when it comes time to transport the pumpkin to the competition, so they call on Miss Rabbit and her helicopter to airlift the pumpkin to the festivities as Peppa and her grandparents ride inside. Peppa arrives just in time for the contest and wins the prize for best flying pumpkin. The scenes look as if they are pulled directly from the television show, right down to the rectangular framing of some of the scenes. While the story is literally nothing new, the text is serviceable, describing the action in two to three sentences per page. The pumpkin-shaped book and orange foil cover will likely attract youngsters, whether they are Peppa fans or not.

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: July 30, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-33922-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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I AM A BIG BROTHER

by Caroline Jayne Church ; illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 27, 2015

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...

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A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.

Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)