A photograph album of ordinary verses about extraordinary babies by a poet (Festivals, p. 456, etc.) who has written more portentous works, but perhaps not such personal ones. Arranged alphabetically, most of the verses use the designated letter to describe the baby in an activity pictured, e.g., B for ``Bathtub-Baby,'' K for ``Kicking-Baby,'' T for ``Throwing-Baby,'' etc. Some of the verses are unpolished—``Christmas-Baby'' ``falls asleep/and smiles to be/dreaming/of her Christmas tree''—while others are pedestrian —``glad to see/his mother's face,/glad to see/his special space,/glad to hear/his doggy bark,/glad he'll get to/see the park.'' The march through the alphabet can be a bit grim and determined, with V for baby's ``Vim and Vigor,'' X for the kisses a baby is trying to escape, and Y for older babies who know how to ``Yell.'' A few display humor and originality: ``Swinging-Baby'' is a poem that swings with the playground equipment and gives readers plenty of leeway for its recitation. The babies—in a multiracial array—are portrayed in inventive photographs that convey the children as strong individuals; when photo and poem mesh, the result can be quite winsome. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-689-80950-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1996
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
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A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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An impending school visit by a celebrity chef sends budding cook Ollie into a tailspin. He and his classmates are supposed to bring a favorite family food for show and tell, but his family doesn’t have a clear choice—besides, his little sister Rosy doesn’t like much of anything. What to do? As in their previous two visits to Room 75, Kenah builds suspense while keeping the tone light, and Carter adds both bright notes of color and familiar home and school settings in her cartoon illustrations. Eventually, Ollie winkles favorite ingredients out of his clan, which he combines into a mac-and-cheese casserole with a face on top that draws delighted praise from the class’s renowned guest. As Ollie seems to do his kitchen work without parental assistance, a cautionary tip or two (and maybe a recipe) might not have gone amiss here, but the episode’s mouthwatering climax and resolution will guarantee smiles of contentment all around. (Easy reader. 6-7)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-06-053561-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2007
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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