This lackluster effort does not add much to an already-stuffed genre of bedtime books.
Parent and baby animals get ready to snuggle down at bedtime in the forest.
Each double-page spread contains a poem on the verso and images of various creatures settling down for the night on the recto. A mother bird quiets her fledgling; a squirrel hugs their baby; parent and baby fireflies doze on a leaf; and a deer and fawn snuggle together. Elaborate die cuts in flower, leaf, and tree shapes offer glimpses of the subsequent spreads and keep the first verse of each poem in view when the page containing the second verse is turned. The final spread shows a variety of parent and baby animals bedding down for the night. The collage-effect, jewel-toned illustrations are attractive and pleasingly designed, although the anthropomorphized creatures have a cartoonish look. The die cuts are complex but don’t add much to the reading experience. The simple, soothing, but sometimes awkwardly constructed rhymes are suitable for bedtime but sometimes confusing; readers are exhorted to “Watch sunny skies turn gray,” but the skies are resolutely pink in the illustration. A curious child might wonder why fireflies go to sleep if they’re shining at night? The complexity of the production fails to disguise otherwise simplistic and unoriginal content.
This lackluster effort does not add much to an already-stuffed genre of bedtime books. (Novelty. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68010-261-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Likely to be popular with young Pete the Cat fans and parents seeking a gentle introduction to preschool.
The popular character enjoys storytime, painting, and a snack on the very first day of preschool.
The younger incarnation of Pete the Cat packs his backpack that he picked out from the store himself, gets a snack from his mom, and rides the school bus with his big brother, Bob (who isn’t much bigger than Pete, sizewise). At school, Pete meets his stylish teacher, Mrs. Lopez, and fellow feline classmates while keeping his signature cool. The day ends with Pete declaring: “Preschool is awesome! Pete loves everything!” James Dean’s big-eyed cats populate the simply drawn scenes that look as though they were painted in preschool-esque fashion with thick swaths of tempera. At a couple of moments (when he eats his banana and declares it tasty and when he sings along) his customarily expressionless face actually breaks into a smile. Kimberly Dean’s text is uninspired, but it’s in sync with the upbeat tone of the series. Pete’s preschool experience, while not particularly realistic, is a highly positive one; refreshingly, there is no trace of the separation anxiety or anxiousness found in many first-day-of-school books.
Likely to be popular with young Pete the Cat fans and parents seeking a gentle introduction to preschool. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06243582-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HarperFestival
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fishy tale that doesn't quite swim in the crowded sea of concept books
A mix of marine-life fact and fiction introduces opposites.
With its iconic shape, the eye-catching cover cutout of a bright-orange fish is instantly appealing. Layered die cuts of decreasing size provide texture and handholds for little fingers and form the bodies of varying species of fish. Information about fish habits and habitats is crammed into wordy rhymes with the opposing terms in boldface, but the accuracy of those facts is debatable. Though it’s fair to call the eel “long and very wiggly,” contrasting it with a generic, short yellow fish that’s a rhyme-forced “giggly” introduces a jarring anthropomorphism. In fact, stereotypical human emotions or motivations are attributed to the fish on almost every page. On another page, the slow fish (the only fish not painted with a smile) says, “Even with a big head start, I knew I'd finish last”—a distressingly defeatist message in an otherwise cheery board book. Inexplicably, the final spread depicts all the fish in party hats—turning it into a birthday book. While this may extend its use in day cares, it doesn't help young children learn opposites.
A fishy tale that doesn't quite swim in the crowded sea of concept books . (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58925-215-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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