Bedtime turns into a gleeful game of hide-and-seek in this romp from Dale (Ten Out of Bed, 1994). All settled in but not quite settled down, a boy suggests one final game be played before bed. His nine stuffed companions cooperate with alacrity and hide while “little one” counts to ten. Then the fun begins as bedroom and kitchen are diligently searched for those hiding. With loud exclamations of “BOO!” every time someone is found, the child locates each friend and enlists its help for the rest of the hunt. Dale’s softly colored, intricate illustrations provide subtle clues to the animals’ hiding places, offering children the opportunity to search along with the boy. When even the tiniest of the friends has been found, each animal is tucked in with a tender good-night. This gently reassuring tale is ideal for reading aloud, sending sleepyheads off with a little merriment and a lot of care. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-7636-0654-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1998
An eye-catching palette and charming characters will draw readers in from the very first page.
As it turns out, beauty is in the ear of the beholder.
Blue Baboon wanders into a park and spots a musical combo playing. She sees a bassoon on its stand, scoops it up, and starts playing along. Sadly, she is not a natural, and an elephant, one of the musicians, takes the instrument away from her. After a storm puts an end to the music, Blue Baboon spies a sign for nighttime hot air balloon rides and takes off in one; as she does, the elephant hands (trunks?) the bassoon to her, and eventually she finds a new place to play her music—and a friend, Green Baboon, who appreciates her unusual sound. Though the rhyming text is spare, with just a few words per page (“Big monsoon, wet baboon”), there are many details in the vibrant illustrations (the facial expressions of all the characters, including the moon, the ducks who follow along), all contributing to the depth of the story. Even the music feels vivid, shown in floating, gentle bubbles from the combo in contrast to the boldly colored lightning bolts that emanate when Blue Baboon and Green Baboon play. Children will enjoy pointing out the pink balloon with a white heart that appears in every spread. The characters are endearing, and the final two-page spread is a visual delight, with everyone floating through the sky in dazzling hot air balloons. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An eye-catching palette and charming characters will draw readers in from the very first page. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72823-890-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A nice addition to the bilingual musical shelf.
One half of the Latin Grammy–winning music duo 123 Andrés and Pura Belpré honoree Palacios team up in this bilingual (Spanish/English) book on friendship.
Presenting two versions of the same song—one in English and one in Spanish—by 123 Andrés, the book has been designed so it can be read just in English or just in Spanish—and, for some lucky ones, in both languages. The two versions are not meant to be exact translations of each other, but the sentiment is the same: “It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing wrong, / we can all get along. // Tú y yo podemos llevarnos bien. / No hay nada que temer.” As the book opens, three children can be seen: one walking a dog, one playing the guitar, and one playing a trumpet. Bit by bit, more and more children join in until a large group representing different cultures, ethnicities, and physical abilities is gathered together. The sweet, never saccharine text tells children that friendships are possible no matter where they’re from or what language they speak, ending with an upbeat: “Hello, friend, tell me your name. // Hola amigo, ¿Cómo te llamas?” Though the book reads well simply spoken, readers intrigued enough to want to sing it can easily find the music with a quick internet search.
A nice addition to the bilingual musical shelf. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-34368-7
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
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