A nice, gentle reminder that it takes two to make a friendship work
Two friends with different ideas of fun find a way to play together.
A little pig named Pip tries in vain to interest Nico the bear in playing with toys. Nico agrees to play—the cello. Pip tries to entice Nico with a wagon full of stories and lots of ideas for games, from dressing up like heroes to playing dolls, but Nico declines each one. Lots of white space and a playful typeface set the stage for the possibility of Nico’s coming around, but Pip just becomes more and more frustrated as Nico serenely makes music. Pip finally gets Nico’s attention by hollering, “I meant play with me!!!” Young children will relate to Pip’s exuberance and exasperation while also appreciating that sometimes you just want to do your own thing. Lee’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations capture the emotions of each character—Nico’s joy of music and patience toward Pip, whose tail even looks despondent as it seems more and more likely that they won’t be playing together. Playful touches—Nico knocks over Pip’s block tower with the bow; Pip uses the scroll of Nico’s cello to tie one end of a jump rope. This first picture book by author and illustrator Lee gives lots of room for children to fill in the gaps with their own imaginations.
A nice, gentle reminder that it takes two to make a friendship work . (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-54601-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A spot-on series installment that imparts a valuable lesson on the importance of honesty.
Will Llama Llama come clean after breaking one of Mama’s prized possessions?
While Mama Llama gardens outdoors, Llama Llama and a friend who appears to be a young goat play inside. Their boisterous activities include pillow fighting, running up the stairs and sliding down the bannister, swinging from lamps, and jumping on the sofa—fun that is possible “Only when Mama is not there.” They move on to playing catch: Llama Llama throws vigorously, and the ball shatters Mama’s favorite picture frame. Uh-oh. What to do? The pair consider running to Kalamazoo. When Mama returns, Llama Llama first blames the wind, then a dinosaur, then a meteorite. Mama doubts these possibilities, and Llama Llama cries but admits to the lie. Mama praises his courage, and the three of them repair the frame. Later, throwing a pass outside, Mama breaks a window herself! With humor and sympathy, this tale brings to life a very common experience that will resonate with preschoolers. Mama reacts with model parenting, and Llama Llama quickly accepts the blame and the necessity of truth-telling. Morrow’s illustrations add both drama and a reassuring note. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A spot-on series installment that imparts a valuable lesson on the importance of honesty. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9780593352489
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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