An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books.
A young bear learns the nuance of blending into a crowd when playing a game of hide-and-seek.
Much like any naïve 3-year-old, Fergus, a brown bear with round, black eyeglasses, must first understand the concept of hiding. Whether out in the open or next to or behind a slender tree, Fergus is told he is easily found and must try again. The continual voice of the speaker is that of a kind, patient instructor as Fergus follows directions, presents various choices for hiding places, and works to improve strategy. “We’re going to help you,” says the narrator. “Start by hiding in a crowd.” In a group of small squirrels and rabbits, Fergus easily stands out, as he also does in crowds of large elephants or polar bears. Hiding among moose while sporting tree-branch antlers doesn’t quite do it either. Finally, Fergus, willing to keep at it, is able to successfully find concealment among a bunch of brown bears wearing a variety of facial expressions. Simple, black-line drawings augment Fergus’ efforts through each encouraging directive. Having mastered the idea, Fergus then hides within a large, diversified animal crowd splayed across a double gatefold to create a Where’s Waldo–like challenge featuring all the previous characters together. For the ultimate seek-and-find activity Fergus then challenges readers to search within the gatefold for a long list of items. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size; double gatefold viewed at 50% of actual size.)
An amusing introduction to the long-standing diversion of hide-and-seek books. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-984849-02-1
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Elephant mother and daughter enact an ages-old parent-child ritual. This book presents a pretty and friendly world, in which Mama Elephant is blue, Little Elephant is white and rosy, the sand is peach and every animal wears an expression of contented amusement. When Little Elephant goes for a walk with Mama, she holds on to Mama’s tail and tweaks it twice to ask a question. Little sees a frog jumping and wants to know, “Can I jump?” Readers turn the page to a spread of Little flying through the air to the shock of the frogs below. “No,” says Mama, “because you are not a frog. You are a little elephant. But you can stomp your foot and make a big sound.” “Like that, Mama?” “Just like that, my little elephant,” and the picture shows Little making quite a fine STOMP, STOMP! As they walk, Little imagines climbing an acacia tree like the monkeys, flying with a very anthropomorphic and beruffled butterfly and singing like a bird, only to learn what elephants do instead. Mama praises her for asking questions, so she can learn and grow to be “a big, strong, smart, beautiful elephant”—just like her Mama, suggests Little Elephant. In a nice touch, it is Little who leads Mama back home, past all the animals they saw on their walk. Captures exactly and sweetly a developmental ideal for both child and parent. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-618-99851-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
With little specific factual information provided or individual personality developed, there is nothing here to separate one...
Underdeveloped rhymes describe the "minibeasts" that live in a garden.
These cheery critters, mostly insects and uniformly smiling, present themselves to readers with a few brief lines apiece. There are the usual suspects (ladybug, butterfly) as well as a few unusual choices (earwig and stick insect). The chatty remarks fail to distinguish one voice from another, though their goodwill is undeniable. “Hello, / I'm the centipede, / how do you do? / I'm as friendly as friendly can be. / Now, which of my hands would you / most like to shake? / I've got at least 30, you see!” The verses’ rhymes tend toward the obvious, pairing “tummy” with “yummy,” for instance, as the worm describes the joys of devouring mud. Onomatopoeic sound effects complement the rhymes and add an ear-pleasing note, from ants' "pitter-patter" to the caterpillar's "crunch" of a leafy snack. Patterned elements within the illustrations (the snail's kaleidoscopic stripes and the dragonfly's iridescent, lacy wings) bring a little sparkle to this primary-and-pastel landscape. An imposing spider web on the endpapers contrasts refreshingly with the busyness of the interior illustrations.
With little specific factual information provided or individual personality developed, there is nothing here to separate one backyard inhabitant from the next. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-58925-109-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
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