bookshelf

SWIM THE SILVER SEA, JOSHIE OTTER

Name: SWIM THE SILVER SEA, JOSHIE OTTER
Author: Nancy White Carlstrom
ISBN: 0-399-21872-6

by Nancy White Carlstrom & illustrated by Ken Kuroi ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 21, 1993

bookshelf

Mama Otter won't play, so Joshie sets out on his own; but the other arctic animals are too drowsy to play (like the seal pups) or too busy (like the puffins). When night falls, Joshie hears his mother's song calling him home; next day, she's glad to play. Mama's reason for her day off—which seems more human than otter-like—goes unexplained; still, Joshie's independent foray is nicely shaped, with second glimpses of the same animals (now sleeping) as he swims home, while White's lilting cadence is just right for this lyrical bedtime story. Kuroi (who's illustrated 100 titles in Japan) uses colored pencils for art with almost an airbrush effect; his rounded, pillow-soft forms are organized into pleasing decorative spreads. The animals—especially the round-faced otters—have a slightly cartoonish cast, but that's a small defect in an attractive offering. Carlstrom includes a melodious tune for her three-stanza song. (Picture book. 2-6)

Pub Date: April 21, 1993

ISBN: 0-399-21872-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1993

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
COUNTING WINTER
by Nancy White Carlstrom ; illustrated by Claudia McGehee

- BOOK REVIEW
MAMA, WILL IT SNOW TONIGHT?
by Nancy White Carlstrom and illustrated by Paul Tong

- BOOK REVIEW
IT’S YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, ANNIE CLAIRE
by Nancy White Carlstrom and illustrated by Margie Moore

bookshelf

WHERE'S BEARRY?

by Joe Gatto ; illustrated by Luke Flowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2024

Relatable bedtime fare.

bookshelf

In this picture book from comedian Gatto, a little one embarks on a nighttime detective caper while also learning some calming techniques.

Tucked into bed, a light-skinned youngster with a mop of brown hair is almost ready to go to sleep, but something’s missing. Eyes wide, mouth agape, the child wonders, “Where’s Bearry?” The snuggly teddy is lost. Armed with a household map and magnifying glass and trailed by a pup sidekick, the tot searches high and low. “He’s not in the playroom / with my robot and blocks. / He’s not in the hamper / with all the stinky socks.” More searching comes up empty, and the increasingly distraught narrator worries, “Maybe he took a trip on the ferry? / Oh no! I’m freaking out! // WHERE’S BEARRY?!?!” Luckily, the youngster remembers to take a deep breath and count down from three. These actions help soothe the intrepid detective, and suddenly, all becomes clear. (Spoiler alert: Bearry is found.) The jaunty, singsong text trips up a bit here and there but propels the mystery forward. Flowers’ colorful art captures the wide range of emotions the youngster experiences: sadness, panic, serenity, and relief.

Relatable bedtime fare. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024

ISBN: 9780593750193

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

bookshelf

TEN LITTLE RABBITS

by Maurice Sendak ; illustrated by Maurice Sendak ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

As a counting book, fun. As a new Sendak book, by its mere existence, notable.

bookshelf

A posthumously published tale of overly prolific bunnies from a master of the picture-book form.

A young magician bows before readers and releases a rabbit from his hat. More and more rabbits appear. As the book counts from one rabbit to 10, the boy becomes increasingly frustrated with the sheer number of bunnies appearing from his headwear. His irritation is alleviated only when the narrator declares, “So then—he made them vanish again!” Now the numbers count down, and with every rabbit gone the child grows distinctly happier and more lighthearted. Originally created in 1970 as a pamphlet for a fundraiser for Philadelphia’s Rosenbach Museum, this book is visually similar to such Sendak crowd-pleasers as the Nutshell Library titles, particularly One Was Johnny (1962). Adult fans seeking the darker and weightier subject matter associated with the author’s later works would do best to look elsewhere. Children, however, will be drawn to the escalating tide of fuzzy bunnies and will share the protagonist’s sense of satisfaction at watching them go. The artwork is filled with simple charm, and the counting element proves to be a nice plus as well. The protagonist has skin the white of the page.

As a counting book, fun. As a new Sendak book, by its mere existence, notable. (Picture book. 2-4)