bookshelf

GO TO BED, MONSTER!

Name: GO TO BED, MONSTER!
Author: Natasha Wing
ISBN: 978-0-15-205775-6

by Natasha Wing & illustrated by Sylvie Kantorovitz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2007

bookshelf

Lucy, unable or unwilling to go to sleep, takes out crayons and paper and begins to draw. An oval body, square head, rectangle legs, circle eyes and several triangles form themselves into a not-so-scary and very playful green Monster. Drawing away, Lucy and her alter ego build castles, fly an airplane, march in a parade and have a stomping, jumping, grand time. Now Lucy is tired but Monster refuses to go to bed. Delaying the inevitable with all the familiar excuses of thirst, hunger, bathroom needs and storytime wishes, weary Lucy uses her artful ability to place her dreamy-eyed, sleepy Monster into a cozy bed before closing her own drowsy set and finally falling asleep. Child-like drawings and lettering done in crayon colors using oil paints and pastels accentuate the time-honored premise through Monster’s exaggeratedly droll expressions. Knowing toddlers will eagerly reach for their own box of crayons. (Picture book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2007

ISBN: 978-0-15-205775-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2007

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NIGHT BEFORE LUNAR NEW YEAR
by Natasha Wing with Lingfeng Ho ; illustrated by Amy Wummer

- BOOK REVIEW
BAGEL IN LOVE
by Natasha Wing ; illustrated by Helen Dardik

- BOOK REVIEW
WHEN JACKIE SAVED GRAND CENTRAL
by Natasha Wing ; illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

bookshelf

THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF

adapted by Stephen Carpenter & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 1998

bookshelf

In this entry in the Growing Tree series, the publisher copyrights the text, while Carpenter provides illustrations for the story; here, the three billy goats named Gruff play on a nasty troll’s greed to get where the grass is greenest. Logic has never been the long suit of this tale: Instead of letting the two smaller billy goats be terrorized by the mean and ugly troll, children wonder, why doesn’t the biggest billy goat step in sooner? It’s still a good introduction to comparatives, and the repetitiveness of the story invites participation. The artwork matches the story: The characters are suitably menacing, quivering, or stalwart, and the perspectives allow readers to be right there in the thick of the action. (Picture book. 2-4)

Pub Date: June 30, 1998

ISBN: 0-694-01033-2

Page Count: 24

Publisher: HarperFestival

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1998

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU'RE INVITED TO BRUCE LANSKY'S POETRY PARTY!
by Bruce Lansky & illustrated by Stephen Carpenter

bookshelf

HOW KIND!

by Mary Murphy & illustrated by Mary Murphy ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2001

bookshelf

Good deeds beget good deeds in this graphically bold and bright celebration of benevolence. Hen gives Pig an egg, a kindness that inspires him to give a carrot to Rabbit, who in turn picks flowers for Cow, and so on until Pig returns the initial favor by presenting Hen with a chick—hatched from her original egg. The clever turn of events leaves readers wondering if Hen has hornswoggled Pig into doing the work of hatching her egg, or if she is simply thanking him for the gift? The youngest readers and listeners will not be distracted by such concerns and will enjoy shouting out “How kind!” as it’s repeated throughout the text; they may also be inspired to emulate the animals and take turns doing one another kindnesses. Electric pink, sky blue, yellow, orange, purple, and tennis-ball-green ink-and-wash illustrations outlined in heavy black add to the cheer and are complemented by the loose yet readable typeface, created by and named for Murphy (Koala and the Flower, not reviewed, etc.). For just plain storytime fun or for introducing the concept of karma, this is a winner. (Picture book. 2-4)