More game than book, but fun for little ones. Give it a high-five.
More narrowly focused but just as silly as Burach’s previous Hi-Five Animals (2018).
This time young readers are greeted with “hi-fives” from farm animals. The format mimics the original title, with rhyming text in a bold type that prompts readers to slap a high-five on almost every page. Some of the rhymes are forced; several span multiple page turns. Unless the child is quick, the flow is interrupted by the pause to slap the page. None of the animals are named, but most toddlers will recognize them from their emblematic characteristics, exaggerated but still clear in the black-lined illustrations. A turtle as a farm animal is a bit of a stretch. Likewise, a llama is not part of the traditional North American farm menagerie but is increasingly common on boutique farms. They join a horse and a duck for the two-spread rhyme: “Hi-five FAST! / And hi-five slooooooow! // Way up high! / And way down low!” The smiling animals all have the same googly eyes. Lifting an enlarged hoof, paw, or wing to provide a high-five target makes for some rather awkward poses, but bold, bright colors against equally bright backgrounds keep the attention on the game. Extra-thick board pages and sturdy construction will help the book weather the abuse all those hand slaps will generate.
More game than book, but fun for little ones. Give it a high-five. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-68026-3
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
A bang-up banquet certain to draw demands for repeat courses and sturdy enough to survive them.
A hungry alligator chows down on 10 sets of unwary swamp denizens—with, eventually, predictable results.
The heavy-duty pull-tab in the back cover is going to get a real workout here, as it makes the cheery gator’s jaw (visible above the top of each page) snap loudly shut to a chorus of “chomp, chomp, chomp!” on one “shiny, blue” fish, followed by two “furry, brown” otters, three “fluffy, white” cranes, and so on up to 10 “shimmering, purple” hummingbirds. As the adjectival insertions hint, each brightly smiling new quarry in the colorful cartoon illustrations comes with not only a number to count, but a textured tactile patch to touch (each scene also features a few artfully placed die-cut holes). Likely deflecting at least most parental frets about implicit or explicit violence in the rhymed and patterned scenario, Van Fleet arranges his figures so there’s no actual eating to be seen. As it eats, the increasingly rotund crocodile sprouts rainbow stripes so it looks rather like a striped pool toy—and when it at the end chomps on one tiny fish too many, it proceeds to belch out all the unharmed victims in a mighty foldout explosion. “Excuse me!” Inconspicuous labels on most of the flora and fauna dish up further nibbles of natural history.
A bang-up banquet certain to draw demands for repeat courses and sturdy enough to survive them. (Pop-up board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-2677-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.
Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.
Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-838-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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