A fine addition to holiday collections that anticipates the excitement of the season while steering clear of both religious...
This Christmas board book includes a peekaboo game.
Boo, a black cartoon cat first introduced in Where’s Boo (2013), sports a Santa hat on the cover. A half-circle cutout reveals the hat’s fuzzy white pom-pom on the final page, but before they reach it, youngsters are asked whether the cat is hiding behind a gingerbread house, a snowman, or a toy snare drum. The flocked puff is incorporated into each holiday scene, standing in as a cookie, snowball, or smoke from a toy steam train as the pages turn. Finally the cat is found hiding behind the Christmas tree beside a fireplace decorated with Christmas stockings. Each cheery illustration’s seasonally iconic images give little ones much to discover and talk about. The repeated question (“Is he behind…”) allows even the youngest toddler to quickly guess the response (“No, that’s a…”) and feel smart when they correctly guess the cat’s obvious hiding place. After a couple shared readings, they may even return to “read” the predictable story independently. The large cutout makes turning the pages easy for little fingers.
A fine addition to holiday collections that anticipates the excitement of the season while steering clear of both religious overtones and commercial hype. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57956-4
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)
The bunnies that inhabit Boynton’s colorful world put on a musical show for the other animals.
The rabbits have taken over the theater. They dance and sing, bragging about their long ears and twitchy noses for the pigs and chickens in the audience. The rhythmic chorus—“We are ten terrific rabbits and we like to dance and sing. / Ten terrific rabbits. We can do almost anything”—is mighty infectious. The author’s trademark wit and humor are on full display as the other animals dress up like bunnies and join the massive grand finale. The barnyard cast forms a musical troupe that amuses and delights. Adults will appreciate the clever sight gags, and small children will appreciate the tasteful boasting and empowering jingle. While it’s not as complete a vehicle for inculcating emergent language skills as many of Boynton’s other books, there’s no denying it’s got verve.
A swell read for the lighthearted. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7611-8060-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable...
Six bug-eyed, smiling iconic Halloween characters are startled by mysterious shouts of “Boo!” but little ones won't be fazed.
Beginning with “Night owl, night owl, was that you? / Were you the one who shouted BOO?” the same question is repeated on each page, substituting the name of the Halloween symbol pictured. Young readers will soon know the response: “It wasn't me!” The eyes of the owl, cat, pumpkin, witch, spider, and wizard are nesting, die-cut holes of decreasing size. The character from the previous page is included on each double-page spread, providing visual continuity. The next-to-last spread shows all six characters worriedly asking, “Who's hiding out there in the night?” The final page turn reveals the obvious answer: “It's a ghost!” The placement of the word “Boo” changes on each page, which may confuse toddlers who learn to anticipate text through its consistent appearance. Despite the bright, almost garish illustrations in purple, black, orange, green, blue, and pink, the perennially smiling characters are static and flat; both witch and wizard are Caucasian.
Predictable text, a slight storyline, and cutouts that toddlers will use to turn the pages make this an acceptable introduction to the fun of Halloween. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-68010-501-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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