It's a big Margaret Wise Brown this season, from Harpers — and there are lovely Garth Williams' pictures for a text unexceptional for this author. The story tells of a little raccoon who wanted to go out at night and "see the moon- and see the night- and know an owl- and how dark is dark?- and listen to the Whippoorwill — and stay up all night and sleep all day" etc. (A familiar sound, eh?). And he does it. Simple and nice.
Pub Date: June 15, 1948
ISBN: 006443222X
Page Count: 40
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1948
A useful, sturdy conversation starter between caregivers and children.
Sweet pastel colors and cheery images across five double-page spreads introduce various animal habitats to young children.
A “sheep and her lamb live on the farm”; a “whale and her calf live in the ocean.” The other animal mother-and-child pairs are a penguin and chick, dog and puppy, and kangaroo and joey. Unfortunately, the Antarctic birds are pictured next to an igloo, but otherwise both the specialized name for animal young and habitat are introduced neatly. Companion title Noisy World introduces noises. Three of the sounds are from animals (lions, a crocodile and birds), while two are from machines (a car and a train). Here, the creators might have been more successful working this concept into two books—one about animal sounds and the other surveying transportation sounds. In either case, flaws will not matter to very young children, who will be attracted to the sunny pictures and jolly characters. There is nothing threatening about the roaring lions or snapping crocodile. Smart adults will use these books to ask questions: What color is the monkey? How many birds are cheeping? As with other titles in the Tiny Touch series, the back blurb touts the “bumpy textured pages that make it a tactile and interactive experience,” but the texture is so subtle, it is almost nonexistent.
A useful, sturdy conversation starter between caregivers and children. (Board book. 6 mos.-3)Pub Date: March 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0023-4
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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