Substitute any of the more realistic and genuinely engaging introductions to preschool routines that are available.
Busy art featuring cartoonish stuffed animals introduces young children to typical preschool activities in whimsical Noah's Park, a sort of combination theme park and preschool.
The flow of the rhyming text is sacrificed to heavy-handed attempts at fun. “All aboard! Can’t wait to start. / Chugga Chuff, Chugga Chuff… / It’s time to make art,” reads the text as a train carries these tots to the titular art barn. On subsequent pages, Williams rhymes “smocks” with “drops” and “shapes” with “make.” Incredibly, without any adult supervision, these toddlers remember to don paint smocks and succeed in painting pictures of the train. A most important part of the preschool experience, the guidance of a loving, supportive teacher, is entirely missing. Instead these toddler surrogates function independently and cooperatively, well beyond their developmental ages. Ending nearly every other sentence with an exclamation point and repeated use of the word “hooray” are not enough to make Noah's Park exciting. Jungle Gym (published simultaneously) follows the same formula, even repeating the opening text. A single gatefold on the second page that opens to reveal the destination of the troupe in each book scuttles any element of surprise. Snack Time (available in September) promises more of the same.
Substitute any of the more realistic and genuinely engaging introductions to preschool routines that are available. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4259-6
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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