Required reading for all young children taking their first ventures into the wide world beyond immediate parental reach.
Little Nutbrown Hare bravely ventures out to the Far Field and back in four sweet new outings illustrated “in the style of” Anita Jeram.
With Big Nutbrown Hare still in attendance, Little Nutbrown nerves himself for a bit of climbing after his favorite Hiding Tree falls in a storm. He is also (very) briefly lost in fog on Cloudy Mountain, and he finds an interesting burrow in distant Far Field (but heeds his inner voice’s warning that dark holes are dangerous). Finally, he invites Big Nutbrown to guess his favorite place as the two are “wandering home at the end of the day.” Complementing McBratney’s mastery at capturing the feelings and concerns of toddlers in words, Wagner and Tarbett channel his original illustrator in posing sinuously drawn characters, alone and together, in ways that subtly but clearly express joy, anxiety, excitement and curiosity. Most strongly of all, they capture the intimate attachment that lights up all of the Hares’ appearances from Guess How Much I Love You (1995) on. Low tufts of wildflowers and other foliage backed by thin washes of pale greens and blues create a properly idyllic natural setting. Despite some unfortunate Americanizations and a picture of flying insects that are confusingly called "daddy-long-legs," this book is still close to sublime.
Required reading for all young children taking their first ventures into the wide world beyond immediate parental reach. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5896-0
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
There is not much here to make it stand out from other school-themed titles. Only for Peppa Pig devotees.
A busy school day gives the Peppa Pig licensing team an opportunity to cram every bit of learning and labeling they can into this based-on-a-British-TV-show title.
It’s not just any school day, though, it’s Special Talent Day, and Peppa has yet to decide which of her many talents she will share—singing, dancing, jumping rope. After a “good pancake breakfast,” it’s off to school. Before the students can share their talents, there are all sorts of things to learn and do: counting from one to 10, naming an object that begins with each letter of the alphabet, playing store, painting, lunchtime and recess, and music class (aka name-a-bunch-of-instruments-and-their-sounds class). Finally, it’s time to share their talents. But what will Peppa do when she realizes not one of her talents is unique? She shows her class just what she (and every stereotypical pig) is good at, and they join in. The cartoon digital illustrations are bright and colorful and reflect the TV show’s aesthetic, but they are not without their flaws. It’s a good thing that characters’ names include their species, since some are rather difficult to identify. Also, children may wonder why the larger and older Peppa is in the same class with her little brother, George, and what appear to be other younger siblings.
There is not much here to make it stand out from other school-themed titles. Only for Peppa Pig devotees. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: June 11, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6525-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More kit than story, with some assembly required.
Two outings and a game of hide-and-seek in between add up to a perfect day for Peppa and friends in this four-spread TV-series spinoff.
First Peppa and her bubble-gum–pink family ride to the park (“Vroom!” says little George) for a healthy picnic packed by Daddy Pig. Then it’s home for playtime with Danny Dog and Suzy Sheep, until Grandpa Pig arrives with a boat big enough for all (“Ship ahoy!”). Children can embellish this stripped-down plotline on the foldout playscape attached to the back cover. All of the figures in the flat, very simple illustrations also come as punch-outs on a loose sheet, and there are corresponding slots in the detachable pop-up car and boat. Fans of the British series, which runs on Nick Jr. in the United States, may experience several moments of pleasure before the card-stock vehicles are crushed.
More kit than story, with some assembly required. (sticker sheet) (Pop-up/picture book. 3-4)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6825-9
Page Count: 8
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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