McGee (Forest Child, not reviewed, etc.) serenades readers with a softly lilting ode to somnolence. As a father and child wind their way through the quieting house, a gentle litany enumerating the many dozy creatures eases the little one to sleep. From a napping field mouse to sleepy toys, McGee’s simple rhymes convey the increasing drowsiness of the house and its inhabitants, culminating in the sweet repose of the child. McGee weaves her tranquil verses into a cozy, comforting lullaby for wee ones. The repetitive rhythm lulls readers, preparing them for slumber. “Sleepy star. / Sleepy tree. / Sleepy breeze blows in on me.” Williams’s (Jiggle, Joggle, Jee, p. 420, etc.) expressive watercolors echo the mellowness of the tale. Darkening shadows overlay the rich colors of the illustrations, artfully portraying the sense of encroaching twilight. Tender scenes depicting a tired tot cuddled up on daddy’s shoulder are signature Williams; a myriad of benevolent beings, animate and not, smile down upon the tousle-headed, cherubic child. The integration of the verses into the illustrations, with the whimsical placement of the text within the pages evokes the swaying tempo of the poem, creating a seamless union between word and picture. An enchanting addition to a child’s repertoire of bedtime tales. (Picture book. 1-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-82378-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2001
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
Although a bit on the slight side, this offering is infused with a warm, light humor just right for cuddling up with a young...
This title previously published in the U.K. takes a cozy look at all kinds of kisses.
Walsh’s rhyming text is full of cutesy rhythms: “Kisses on noses, kisses on toes-es. Sudden kisses when you least supposes.” Sometimes the phrasing stumbles: “Who likes to kiss? I do! I do! Even the shy do. Why not try, too?” But toddlers and young preschoolers will probably not mind. They will be too engaged in spotting the lively penguin on each spread and too charmed by Abbot’s winsome illustrations that fittingly extend the wording in the story. Patient dogs queue up for a smooch from a frog prince, cool blue “ ’normous elephants” contrast strikingly with bright red “little tiny ants” and a bewildered monkey endures a smattering of lipstick kisses. Be the kiss small or tall, one to start or end the day, young readers are reminded that “the very best kiss… / is a kiss from you!” Perhaps no big surprise but comforting nonetheless.
Although a bit on the slight side, this offering is infused with a warm, light humor just right for cuddling up with a young tyke or sharing with a gathering for storytime. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Dec. 20, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2769-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2011
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