by Matthew Van Fleet ; illustrated by Matthew Van Fleet ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 4, 2018
A bang-up banquet certain to draw demands for repeat courses and sturdy enough to survive them.
A hungry alligator chows down on 10 sets of unwary swamp denizens—with, eventually, predictable results.
The heavy-duty pull-tab in the back cover is going to get a real workout here, as it makes the cheery gator’s jaw (visible above the top of each page) snap loudly shut to a chorus of “chomp, chomp, chomp!” on one “shiny, blue” fish, followed by two “furry, brown” otters, three “fluffy, white” cranes, and so on up to 10 “shimmering, purple” hummingbirds. As the adjectival insertions hint, each brightly smiling new quarry in the colorful cartoon illustrations comes with not only a number to count, but a textured tactile patch to touch (each scene also features a few artfully placed die-cut holes). Likely deflecting at least most parental frets about implicit or explicit violence in the rhymed and patterned scenario, Van Fleet arranges his figures so there’s no actual eating to be seen. As it eats, the increasingly rotund crocodile sprouts rainbow stripes so it looks rather like a striped pool toy—and when it at the end chomps on one tiny fish too many, it proceeds to belch out all the unharmed victims in a mighty foldout explosion. “Excuse me!” Inconspicuous labels on most of the flora and fauna dish up further nibbles of natural history.
A bang-up banquet certain to draw demands for repeat courses and sturdy enough to survive them. (Pop-up board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-2677-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
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by Matthew Van Fleet ; illustrated by Matthew Van Fleet with photographed by Brian Stanton
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph
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by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2023
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.
Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.
Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-838-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton
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by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton
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