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HUMPHREY’S CHRISTMAS

Humphrey and his older sister Lottie are young elephant siblings in this third offering in a series for preschoolers by Hunter (Humphrey’s Bedtime, 2001, etc.). The little elephants are getting ready to celebrate Christmas at home, playing in the snow, decorating, cooking, and enjoying Christmas Eve traditions with their mother. Hunter’s soft, gently shaded watercolor illustrations help create appealing characters in striped pajamas, flowered dresses, and amusing reindeer slippers for Lottie. In one comical illustration, Humphrey opens the last tiny window on his advent calendar with his trunk, and in a subsequent circular spot illustration, he falls asleep on the big night with his stocking clutched in his arms. The last spread shows the elephant children opening their presents along with their baby sibling. The text on this spread is a little confusing, as Humphrey calls his toy monkey Mop, and Lottie says her new doll can be Lulu’s best friend, but readers who are new to the series won’t be quite sure if these names refer to the toys or the baby elephant. The simple storyline has just a few words per page, hand-lettered in soft gray like a child’s printing with pencil. The basic plot and short length make this a good choice for toddlers who need a short, calming bedtime story on Christmas Eve—just like Humphrey and Lottie. (Picture book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2002

ISBN: 0-8050-7176-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2002

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WAITING FOR BABY

One of a four-book series designed to help the very young prepare for new siblings, this title presents a toddler-and-mother pair (the latter heavily pregnant) as they read about new babies, sort hand-me-downs, buy new toys, visit the obstetrician and the sonographer, speculate and wait. Throughout, the child asks questions and makes exclamations with complete enthusiasm: “How big is the baby? What does it eat? I felt it move! Is it a boy or girl?” Fuller’s jolly pictures present a biracial family that thoroughly enjoys every moment together. It’s a bit oversimplified, but no one can complain about the positive message it conveys, appropriately, to its baby and toddler audience. The other titles in the New Baby series are My New Baby (ISBN: 978-1-84643-276-7), Look at Me! (ISBN: 978-1-84643-278-1) and You and Me (ISBN: 978-1-84643-277-4). (Board book. 18 mos.-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-84643-275-0

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Child's Play

Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2010

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SHARK BITE!

Though slight, this story has compensatory interactive components and characters that are time-tested kid-pleasers.

Poor Mark the shark can’t make any friends because all the other fish are frightened of his teeth.

When a crab pinches Mark’s tail, Mark gets angry and yells for all the fish to come out: “If you won’t be my friends, then you’ll be my dinner!” At this, a concerned octopus reaches out to Mark, accidentally tickling him and making him laugh. When the other fish hear the shark laugh, they realize he’s not actually scary after all, and suddenly, Mark has lots of fishy friends. Each double-page spread has a slider, allowing readers to move the shark’s teeth up and down by pulling a tab, making him cry, chomp, and laugh. Companion volume Dino Chomp, also featuring big biting teeth operated by sliders, tells the story of a T. Rex tricked out of his dinner. Both titles suffer from flimsy plots and generic art, depending on the interactivity of the moving mouths to draw kids in. Considering how satisfying it is to make those teeth go chomp, chomp, chomp, though, it may be enough.

Though slight, this story has compensatory interactive components and characters that are time-tested kid-pleasers. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: June 2, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4998-0107-1

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Little Bee Books

Review Posted Online: May 17, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

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