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PUMPKIN PARTY!

A new holiday favorite.

Woodland critters celebrate Halloween.

It’s Halloween time, and the forest is buzzing with excitement. The annual pumpkin party is in full swing, and with it comes pumpkin costumes, pumpkin races, and all sorts of other pumpkin-related activities. The festivities are described in an abcb rhyme scheme that lends itself to chanting aloud. The purple and orange color palette evokes the holiday neatly while not drawing away from the warm tone. The illustrations have a soft warm glow to them that negates the spooky side of the season and brings out the joyous sense of old-school harvest celebrations. Little readers frightened by the ghosts and goblins that permeate many Halloween books have nothing to fear here: these little foxes and badgers in their pumpkin costumes are completely adorable. This read is an essential addition to the Halloween-themed story stack for the littlest readers.

A new holiday favorite. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-58925-206-6

Page Count: 22

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

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THE BUNNY RABBIT SHOW!

A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)

The bunnies that inhabit Boynton’s colorful world put on a musical show for the other animals.

The rabbits have taken over the theater. They dance and sing, bragging about their long ears and twitchy noses for the pigs and chickens in the audience. The rhythmic chorus—“We are ten terrific rabbits and we like to dance and sing. / Ten terrific rabbits. We can do almost anything”—is mighty infectious. The author’s trademark wit and humor are on full display as the other animals dress up like bunnies and join the massive grand finale. The barnyard cast forms a musical troupe that amuses and delights. Adults will appreciate the clever sight gags, and small children will appreciate the tasteful boasting and empowering jingle. While it’s not as complete a vehicle for inculcating emergent language skills as many of Boynton’s other books, there’s no denying it’s got verve.

A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-7611-8060-9

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Workman

Review Posted Online: June 30, 2014

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BOO!

From the My Little World series

Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable...

Six bug-eyed, smiling iconic Halloween characters are startled by mysterious shouts of “Boo!” but little ones won't be fazed.

Beginning with “Night owl, night owl, was that you? / Were you the one who shouted BOO?” the same question is repeated on each page, substituting the name of the Halloween symbol pictured. Young readers will soon know the response: “It wasn't me!” The eyes of the owl, cat, pumpkin, witch, spider, and wizard are nesting, die-cut holes of decreasing size. The character from the previous page is included on each double-page spread, providing visual continuity. The next-to-last spread shows all six characters worriedly asking, “Who's hiding out there in the night?” The final page turn reveals the obvious answer: “It's a ghost!” The placement of the word “Boo” changes on each page, which may confuse toddlers who learn to anticipate text through its consistent appearance. Despite the bright, almost garish illustrations in purple, black, orange, green, blue, and pink, the perennially smiling characters are static and flat; both witch and wizard are Caucasian.

Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable introduction to the fun of Halloween. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-68010-501-8

Page Count: 16

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

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