A neat feat.
A variety of animals, 16 in all, shows off what their feet can do.
“HIGH FEET / A mountain goat’s toes help it climb and hold on to the smallest bits of rock.” So begins the text’s repeated formula, continuing with “SLOW FEET” (giant tortoise), “FAST FEET” (ostrich), “SNOW FEET” (polar bear), and so on. The simple facts presented in Mara’s text are simultaneously simple and engaging, and many of the animals she chooses to highlight are not the usual board-book suspects. Alongside the aforementioned animals, readers meet the sloth, the gecko, and the blue-footed booby, among others. Vidal’s boldly graphic art, created with flat planes of highly saturated color, is eye-catching. The larger-than-normal trim size serves these full-bleed, double-page scenes, which illustrate each creature’s fancy footwork and hint at its habitat. They do not, however, necessarily give readers a very good sense of what each animal’s foot really looks like. The final double-page spread reveals all of the creatures depicted and invites youngsters to contemplate their own toes by asking, “What can YOUR FEET do?”
A neat feat. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2318-6
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This holiday ditty misses too many beats.
The traditional story of the first Thanksgiving is set to the tune of “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” and stars rodents instead of humans.
The titular itsy-bitsy Pilgrim, a mouse dressed in iconic Puritan garb, sails to “a home that’s new” with three other mice on the Mayflower. They build a house, shovel snow, and greet some “itsy bitsy new friends,” who are chipmunks dressed as Native Americans complete with feathered headbands, beaded necklaces, and leather clothing. While Rescek’s art is droll and lively, it is wildly idealized, and the Native Americans’ clothing does not reflect what is understood of Wampanoag attire. The companion title, The Itsy Bitsy Reindeer, presents equally buoyant scenes. The reindeer and several elves, who appear to be white children with pointed ears, help Santa (also white) prepare for his annual sleigh-ride delivery. In both books, would-be singers may struggle to fit all the words and syllables into the meter, and a couple of rhymes are extremely forced (“shop” and “job”?).
This holiday ditty misses too many beats. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6852-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
These hippos (like Boynton) continue to charm.
When the unpredictable occurs, two hippos (mostly) do their best to keep their cool.
Boynton’s beloved hippos grace pages once more; this time their story is a play on the author’s debut, Hippos Go Berserk (1977). A cozy day at home turns out quite unexpectedly for the titular hippos. As they wander outside “in the cool April weather,” it suddenly begins to snow. A loud group of ducks interrupts their quiet, and an evening with a friend eventually becomes an opportunity for a partying group of hippos to go…well, berserk. Through it all, the hippos greet each surprise with a positive attitude, turning something like spring snow into a sensory delight. Boynton’s fans will surely approve of this hippo revival. The illustrations are easily recognizable, and eagle-eyed readers will note that the scene with the party animals is a near-identical replica of that in the original. Readers will chuckle at the hippos’ version of poetry and a ringing telephone that demands to be answered. The rhyming text hits a familiar rhythm and read-aloud cadence. From deep breathing to displaying flexibility, the hippos demonstrate useful self-soothing techniques to little readers. Perhaps the most profound technique is that sometimes, remaining calm in a situation means joining in and letting loose with the not-so-calm crew.
These hippos (like Boynton) continue to charm. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781665938532
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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