A sweet story that pulls on the heartstrings.
Big Bear and Little Bear have many things in common—some with slight, unexpected twists.
Big Bear wears a yellow top and white pants, and Little Bear wears a white top with yellow pants. They both have boots, a coffee cup, a plate, a toothbrush, and slippers. All things are distinguished mainly by their size: Big Bear’s things are big, and Little Bear’s things are little. In some instances, a strain of tenderness infuses the story. For instance, Big Bear’s car is exactly that, but Little Bear’s car is a cloth sling across Big Bear’s back. Big Bear’s house and Little Bear’s house are precisely the same one. Big Bear’s chair is a brown wooden one, reminiscent of the classic story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” but Little Bear’s chair is Big Bear’s welcoming lap. Big Bear’s lovey is Little Bear, and Little Bear’s lovey is a plush white rabbit. The final spread will resonate with many adults and children: The illustration on the verso depicts a cozy bed with Big Bear in it (“Big Bear’s bed”), and the illustration on the recto shows both bears in the same snug bed (“Little Bear’s bed”). Originally published in French, Schneider’s childlike illustrations are colorful and attractive, set against plain, monochromatic backgrounds.
A sweet story that pulls on the heartstrings. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-951836-28-3
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Cameron + Company
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not a great choice for the youngest dinosaur lovers.
A board-book ode to parental love as old as the dinosaurs.
A line of text on the left of each spread reads like a dinosaur-themed valentine that a third grader might choose, with punishingly punny wordplay that incorporates dinosaur-related words. On the facing page a dinosaur pair—a baby and an adult—gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes against whimsical, pastel-hued prehistoric-ish backgrounds. In smaller print, in all caps, at the bottom of the left page is the scientific name for the dinosaur referenced by the text and picture followed by a helpful phonetic pronunciation guide. White-outlined footprints appear next to their names, though the white is sometimes difficult to see against the pastel pages. Ten of the best-known dinosaurs are included. Twisting the dinosaur names to fit the loving sentiments succeeds some of the time but more often results in tortured text, well beyond the understanding of the board book audience. The line accompanying two hugging velociraptors, for instance, is just confusing: “Wrap-TOR arms around me, / with you I’ll always stay.” Others are just plain clumsy: “I-wanna-GUANODON you kisses, / I truly just adore you.” Very young children, even those fascinated by dinosaurs, will not get it. Older dinosaur fans will be put off by the babyish format.
Not a great choice for the youngest dinosaur lovers. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2295-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot.
Little ones learn about bugs.
The world of insects and like small creatures is the focus of this sturdy board book. Each turn of the page gives readers a close view of a particular habitat. The text asks, “Where’s the ladybug?” or “Where’s the snail?” and little ones are encouraged to find the creatures under shaped felt flaps. A caterpillar poses under a leaf with a few bites taken out of it; a bumblebee flies behind a pink tulip. The flaps are made of a reasonably strong material, secured tightly within the book’s pages. Extremely determined readers may figure out a way to pull the flaps out, but most will enjoy flipping them up and over with ease. The last page of the book contains a mirror hidden behind a bush-shaped flap, and readers are asked “And where are you?” The insects smile with big eyes and are composed of large, circular, clean-edged shapes. The color palette is dulled, making the neon flaps pop effectively for little readers. Concurrently publishing companion Where’s the Giraffe? explores the world of jungle animals.
A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9335-0
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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