Look for little humans to add this to their play repertoire.
Irresistible rhythm, adorable monkeys and pitch-perfect rhyme make this a must-have for the preschool set.
“Two little monkeys / playing near a tree, / one named Cheeky, / one named Chee.” With the familiar rhythm of a nursery-school finger game, the text draws children into this story of two little monkeys and their escapades on the plains. Playing among the high grasses and dirt, Cheeky and Chee are frightened by something prowling and take refuge in a nearby tree. Strong verbs like scramble, tremble, peep and leap are easy to decode and understand, allowing young readers to enjoy the pictures or act out the story along with these brave little monkeys. Barton’s soft watercolors, in purple, gray and tan, are both captivating and comforting—never will readers actually fear for Cheeky and Chee’s safety. Hidden in the landscape are hints of the action to come: a tail in the grass or leopard spots in the brush. Gently paced visual and textual narratives (especially when the little monkeys are falling from a tree or running from the predator) make the book ideal for frequent rereading. The easy rhythm and rhyme will allow lap listeners to chant along while they memorize this one.
Look for little humans to add this to their play repertoire. (Picture book. 1-4)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8687-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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