A simple, playful, and satisfying page-turner.
Farm sounds get matched with their animals in this book within a book.
Two separate sets of pages that share a binding and turn independently, one set nested in the center of the other, make up this book’s gimmick. Youngsters are encouraged, by simple query, to match the larger page surrounding the inset. “Who says MOO, MOO, MOO?” is the caption at the bottom of the first outer page, accompanied by clues of a bovine nature: “calf,” “milk,” and “bull.” The accompanying nested page reveals the answer (“cow”) against a background of the same color for added confirmation. The pattern of sounds, colors, and clues continues with a hen, a horse, a pig, and a duck. On the final, “sheep” spread readers finally meet a human, a white farmer with a sheepdog. Saunders’ warmly colored illustrations have a pleasingly folksy feel, making the matching game appealing to the younger set. While the format is clever and seems sturdy enough for home use, the double binding may not withstand heavy-duty library circulation.
A simple, playful, and satisfying page-turner. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-26211-7
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Young birders and gardeners in the making will applaud this lovely admission to the Look & Learn series and its...
A colorful, photo-illustrated introduction to our feathered friends.
Two double-page spreads are devoted to each featured bird, giving readers a sample of bird activities and characteristics: a “red bird” takes a bath, a “blue bird” sings a song, a “yellow bird” roosts in a tree, a “green bird” feeds itself and its young, and colorful parrots take flight. One to two sentences of text accompany each photo while additional factoids float alongside the main image. Little ones are encouraged to interact with the birds through simple directives: “Say hello to the blue birds,” or “Clap your hands for the flying bird.” The final two pages review most of the birds from the previous pages and ask tots to name the color of each animal. The companion title In My Garden follows a similar format and provides youngsters with an overview of all the things needed to grow a garden, including seeds, water, and sunshine, along with an introduction to several garden dwellers such as caterpillars, birds, and bunnies. People, mostly children, of different races and skin tones demonstrate activities. The bold and vibrant photos are stock images; expertly chosen, they will undoubtedly appeal to tykes learning to name their worlds.
Young birders and gardeners in the making will applaud this lovely admission to the Look & Learn series and its companion. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4263-2843-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
A misfire.
Little readers learn some animal idioms.
Caregivers know the phrases “sly as a fox” and “blind as a bat,” and this board book tries its best to introduce these and other animal idioms to little readers. The resulting read is a disjointed affair: an extreme close-up of a minimally detailed, black-and-white animal’s face takes up one full page on recto, while the opposite page offers simple, rhyming clues to the animal idiom. When readers turn the page they are greeted with a full, detailed, full-color view of the animal. Although the facial features from the previous page are printed on its verso, the relationship between minimalist and full-color versions will be hazy at best to a board-book audience. The initial views purposely give little clue to the creature’s identity, and given the audience’s limited experience, the textual clues aren’t much help either. “Quick and cheeky, / smart and sneaky. / I’m sly as a… / Fox.” While the book succeeds in introducing new vocabulary, it does so in such a decontextualized way that toddlers are unlikely to be able to make use of it. Die-cut peek-through holes (an ox’s nostrils; the joint of a clam’s shell) provide some continuity but seem more gimmick than anything else.
A misfire. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2505-7
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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