The thick, durable pages make this perfect for multiple readings and page turnings for the youngest listeners.
The bunny and mouse duo from Looking for Colors with Lily and Milo (2017) returns in a new outing to gather treasures in the woods.
On a rainy, windy day the two set off to explore the woods while leaves fall, fruit trees shed their apples and pears, forest creatures (hedgehog, snail, owl, and squirrel) provide some intrigue, and the sun finally appears. The somewhat more mature and levelheaded Lily continues to provide her experienced guidance to the curious and exuberant Milo. When they come across a variety of bright-red mushrooms with white spots, Lily wisely states that though they are pretty to look at, “We can’t pick mushrooms.…They have to stay in the woods.” Lily creates a nice centerpiece from her collection of leaves and such, while Milo can’t seem to choose and brings everything he can carry home. The text consists of short, declarative sentences translated from the original Dutch and also includes sporadic interactive elements that ask children to consider various items on the page. Toddlers stay engaged by selecting the appropriate clothing from a list of choices, by finding a spider away from its web, or by looking for acorns and pine cones with Milo. Charming characters are outlined in black and filled with bold colors and set against pale backdrops.
The thick, durable pages make this perfect for multiple readings and page turnings for the youngest listeners. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-60537-459-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery.
A troop of cats traverse a spooky landscape as they make their way to a party hosted by ghosts.
Each double-page spread shows the felines’ encounters with the likes of an owl, jack-o’-lanterns or a bat. One or two of these creepy meetings may be too abstract for the youngest readers, as the cats hear eerie noises with no discernible source on the page. The text, which consists of one rhyming couplet per scene, mostly scans despite a couple of wobbles: “Five black cats get a bit of a scare / As the flip-flapping wings of a bat fill the air.” The sleek, slightly retro art, likely created using a computer, depicts the cats cavorting at night through a shadowy cityscape, the countryside and a haunted house; they may scare some toddlers and delight others. A brighter color palette would have given the project a friendlier, more universal appeal. Luckily, the well-lit, final party scene provides a playful conclusion.
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-611-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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