On the cover a smiling ladybug beckons readers to “touch and feel.” Pushing up a cardboard tab at the bottom of the cover causes the bug’s carapace to bifurcate and “flap” in spectacular fashion. Inside, however, readers will find a fairly ordinary touch-and-feel book that is distinguished only by its distressing inaccuracy. Following a question-and-answer format, the text informs readers that bumblebees have “[s]parkly silver wings!”, ducklings have “[f]uzzy orange wings!”, ladybugs have “[s]hiny red wings!”, hummingbirds have “[g]listening green wings!” and butterflies have “[s]himmery pink wings!” While the pictures present all those attributes in fuzz, foil or sparkles to touch, with the exception of some hummingbirds, they don’t describe scientific reality. Given that one vital task of a board book is to help babies discover their world, this one fails miserably. Cloying, fatuous and wrong. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8958-5
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2010
In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.
Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)
Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2014
ISBN: 978-0451469786
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Great for a birthday read and enjoyable all year long.
A little one grabs a pair of shutter shades and gets a major groove on.
"Who loves to party?" The board book kicks off with this question, and each page follows with a different animal enjoying a wild time in increasingly silly ways. Lemurs hang streamers, pheasants wrap presents, and the mole rat wears his party hat. The titular baby makes a grand entrance on the second to last page, answering the original question and taking this party to a whole new level. The rhythmic, internally rhyming lines encourage a thumping beat for little ones to clap or stomp along with. Young readers will delight at all the animals and the funky colors, and adults will snicker at the contemporary quirks of the party. More board books should have parakeets dropping beats and ocelots that rock a lot. Electric colors and busy compositions make for an appropriately frenetic accompaniment.
Great for a birthday read and enjoyable all year long. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: May 5, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2994-8
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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