With its companion, fun for music-loving tots whose grown-ups like these artists.
Though this and other titles in the Baby Rocker series seem aimed more at aging rocker parents than at toddlers, it’s undeniably charming.
The Onion once ran a story headlined, “Cool Dad Raising Daughter on Media That Will Put Her Entirely out of Touch With Her Generation.” The Baby Rocker books arouse a similar sense of irony despite being quite good for what they are. Both this David Bowie–themed celebration of adjectives and its companion volume, Baby KISS: A Book About Colors, are visual delights, bursting with bright hues and simple but stylized renderings of the critical iconography of both acts. Bowie’s “SPIKY hair” (with eye patch) and “SHINY lightning bolt” (à la Aladdin Sane) and KISS’ “BLACK-AND-WHITE face paint” and Gene Simmons’ “PINK tongue” all feature prominently, for example. One stumble: using the phrase “SMOOTH costume” to describe an outfit that Bowie fans will instantly recognize from the Ziggy Stardust era. While in photos the outfit is clearly shiny and reflective (and, therefore, smooth), it’s hard for anyone, child or adult, to infer that from this matte cartoon rendering. Bowie’s “THICK eyeliner” may prompt conversations about gender presentation. But the fundamental question is whether kids should be reading about contemporary acts or about their caregivers’ heroes? Will there be a Baby Rappers series, too?
With its companion, fun for music-loving tots whose grown-ups like these artists. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7624-6801-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Leave this on the shelf and take the kids outside to really move.
An interactive board book promises a variety of experiences.
A book that gets kids up and moving sounds like a great idea. The half-circle cutout of the spine and large handle formed by another die cut on the right side are intriguing. Unfortunately, the rhyming instructions for using the book as an exercise prop are confusing. Even adults will find themselves puzzled when told to “paddle the floor,” or to “hang on the handles. Step over the book. / You're a turtle in its shell! Go peek out and look.” The busy pictures shift perspective according to each scenario presented but give few visual clues. For example, the only hint of a dinosaur on the page where readers are told to “put this book to your mouth and let out a roar” like a dinosaur are the teeth that line the edges of what is meant to be a gaping maw. It’s not always obvious whether the book is meant to be facing readers or turned away from them, adding another layer of confusion. Furthermore, many of the instructions run counter to how young children are typically taught to treat books, as when they are told to step on it and then waddle or to lift it with their feet. The relatively thin board pages and weak handles will soon be torn by normal handling; following the directions in the text will only hasten the destruction.
Leave this on the shelf and take the kids outside to really move. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7611-8733-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Warmly buoyant.
A Black family of four enjoys a day at the pool.
Readers may recognize two of the family members from Bolling and Juanita’s Together We Ride (2022), which centered on a father teaching his young daughter to ride a bike. This latest takes a similar tack, as the mother now helps her young son learn to swim. The child is uncertain, but with her encouragement, he dips a toe into the water and picks up the fundamentals: lifting his head above the water, floating, pumping his arms and legs. There are snafus along the way—the child initially sinks, but Mom is right there. Finally the boy strikes out to swim, “On my own, / in the zone.” The whole family is reassuring, cheering the child on. Big sister does the backstroke and a handstand, displaying the confidence the little one is still learning. Brief but upbeat rhyming verses will especially appeal to beginning readers. Juanita’s carefully composed, muted line illustrations shine in the details, from swim bonnets on Mom and big sister to a mermaid tattoo on Dad’s side. Touching moments in the art pair well with the text. Black family pride and joy abound—this is a family that allows its little ones the space to make forays into independence while supporting them every step of the way. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Warmly buoyant. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781797212494
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
