Useful for caregivers who already practice Pilates but for newbies, not so much.
Given the recent popularity of yoga and mindfulness practices, it was only a matter of time before someone would publish a sturdy board book that purports to teach Pilates to preschoolers.
Ouerghi uses metaphor to illustrate 12 exercises that are strikingly similar to yoga poses. Her brief introduction doesn’t explain the difference between yoga and Pilates. A list of tips on the following page alludes to Pilates’ slower pace, but actual instruction is minimal, with no guidance as to the speed at which the exercises should be done or how many times they should be repeated. Eleven exercises follow, one per double-page spread. On verso, children are told to imagine being an animal, a boat, a bridge, or even pencils, while fanciful pictures hint at the prescribed exercise. For example, above a picture of two bears—one roasting marshmallows and the other using a saw (bizarrely) to shave bark off a log—text reads, “Imagine that your hands can saw through wood.” This will not help youngsters understand the seated alternate twist pictured on the right. Similarly, cute monkeys cutting paper in a tree seem unrelated to the scissor kick. On each recto, numbered illustrations of a child modeling the actions accompany rather cryptic instructions. The children display a variety of skin tones.
Useful for caregivers who already practice Pilates but for newbies, not so much. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63322-589-3
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Walter Foster Jr.
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
A really wonderful way to introduce children to music from many Latin American cultures and to get the whole family dancing.
A colorful collection of 19 classic children’s songs from across Central and South America and the Caribbean.
This musical picture book jumps off with the song “Canciones del colibrí” (“Songs of the Hummingbird”) from Argentina; with lyrics by compiler and illustrator Ruiz Johnson, it’s the only entry that is not in the public domain. Readers get one stanza from the song in Spanish, with its English translation below and a bright full-spread illustration on the facing page in a vibrant folk-art style. The naïve, cheery illustrations are delightful and complement the music and songs well. Every song has its own two-page spread that follows the same formula as the first song. Other selections include “El gallito,” from Guatemala; “La familia Cucharón,” from Peru; and “Zapatico de charol,” from the Dominican Republic. Following the 19 songs are a labeled map of where all of the songs are from and the complete lyrics for every song, sans illustration, in English and Spanish. Performed by Grupo Cántaro, the musical CD included with the book really rounds out the collection with catchy rhythms and lovely singing, allowing children to listen, dance, read, and examine artwork, making it a well-rounded title for little music enthusiasts.
A really wonderful way to introduce children to music from many Latin American cultures and to get the whole family dancing. (Picture book/poetry. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-2-924774-20-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: The Secret Mountain
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The pieces are certain to end up scattered far and wide, but in the meantime, they do offer practice matching flora, fauna,...
Forty-five magnetized items stored in a sturdy pocket can be used to fill up six nautical scenes.
The spreads—introducing the shore, beaches, coral reefs, the open ocean, and harbors—are lightly populated already but have been left with plenty of space to add any of the cartoon sea life, boats, water toys, and human workers or vacationers (all generally diverse of age and skin hue) that may fit or seem appropriate. The “Choking Hazard” warning should be taken seriously, particularly as some pieces are barely the size of a fingertip. These pieces will stay in place (absent sudden jars or rough treatment) as pages are raised or turned, and they can also be used to decorate any flat magnetized surface, although even the sailboats and other larger bits are not strong enough to use separately as fridge magnets. A final “Around the Ocean” spread acts as a key of sorts, identifying such nouns as “parrot fish,” “trawler,” and “snack” as well as such activities as “catch crabs” and “float.” It is so scattershot that readers and users may find themselves wondering how they were chosen for identification and not, for instance, “sea gull,” “buoy,” or “jellyfish.”
The pieces are certain to end up scattered far and wide, but in the meantime, they do offer practice matching flora, fauna, and general sights to various oceanic settings and shores. (Novelty. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
ISBN: 979-1-02760-429-6
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
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