Dinosaur fans will happily engage, but true budding paleontologists will quickly grow out of it
Bright colors and dramatic scenes will attract young dinosaur lovers to this board book with shaped, oversized flaps that hide five popular dinosaurs.
The predictable format lends itself to use with young toddlers. An unnamed dinosaur on the left side of each spread asks a question. When a large flap on the facing page is turned, an extinct creature—there are five in all—is revealed. A sound or behavior one might imagine could be characteristic of that animal is repeated in a larger font. A “happy triceratops” stomps; a “giant diplodocus” munches; a “sleepy stegosaurus” snores; a “flying pterodactyl” squawks; a “mighty Tyrannosaurus rex” (and hatchlings) roars. (Only “Tyrannosaurus” is captitalized, presumably as its moniker includes the full Latin name.) Curiously, the triceratops is described as “happy” with no evidence of that emotion beyond a slight, anthropomorphized smile. If it is happy, why is it stomping? Clever toddlers will quickly learn that the flap in the slightly raised frame on the right-hand page is almost always hinged at the bottom. A second flap opens to the side on the T. rex spread to reveal three baby tyrannosauruses in their eggshells. However, this one is quite difficult to manipulate and easily torn.
Dinosaur fans will happily engage, but true budding paleontologists will quickly grow out of it . (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9934-5
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A brightly lit "find it" game that focuses more on laughs than skill.
Harry the hippo plays hide-and-seek.
It's a bright and sunny day, and the local kids are playing on the playground. It's Harry's turn to hide, but it's pretty easy to spot a hippopotamus no matter how well he hides. Little ones will delight at the odd places Harry chooses to conceal himself, and parents will be equally entertained. Harry’s a typical child, clearly believing that closing his eyes makes him invisible, even when he hangs in plain view from the top bar of a swing set. Harrison's warm, round illustrations make for an excellent introduction to the "spot the item" genre, and pleasingly, there’s almost no way children will find themselves frustrated by the challenge. A similar title, Hide and Seek Harry on the Farm, publishes simultaneously.
A brightly lit "find it" game that focuses more on laughs than skill. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: March 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7347-5
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Pass on this weak offering.
A predictable board-book mystery.
The mystery involves a common childhood crisis—a lost toy. Ho’s trademark round-headed animals stand in for humans with a range of emotions, from the persistently worried Little Bunny to grumpy Pig. Each barnyard animal offers the distraught bunny a comforting alternative to his blanket, “Fluffy.” Finally, when Mouse admits to borrowing Fluffy for a snuggle, Little Bunny forgives him surprisingly quickly because, “I love my Fluffy for snuggling too.” The rhyming text presents problems—either by not actually rhyming (lost/most; fur/near) or falling inconsistently, making end rhymes unpredictable and less than useful in a book for pre-readers. Instead of letting the pictures tell the story, superfluous speaker attributions make this a tedious read-aloud and impede the rhyme: “ ‘I'll search the pond for your Fluffy,’ says Duck. / ‘I've looked underwater already. No luck!’ Fish tells Little Bunny.” The various flaps, foil inserts, and very small tactile elements are not intriguing enough to rescue the story. The tiny patch of wolf fur peeking through the page with the lambs is easily missed (and is disconcertingly far away from the picture of the wolf). Perhaps out of concern for the safety of the lamb, the wolf does not appear on the next page. No similar caution is shown when the owl shares a page with its prey. Do owls not eat chicks wearing spectacles?
Pass on this weak offering. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: April 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-2-7338-3235-6
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Auzou Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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