In this wordless board book, babies can explore everyday objects and scenes rendered in high-contrast black-and-white art.
On the left-hand page, three simple images, made from black hand-cut paper and set against white backgrounds, run down the middle of the page. Across the spread on the right-hand page, these objects are found in context. For example, in one double-page spread, a cat, a dog, and a turtle sit on verso; on recto, readers see the dog in a doghouse, the cat on a mat, and the turtle roving across the floor. While many of the images look simple and pitch-perfect for newborn eyesight, they are actually too small for little ones learning to focus. Some of the objects are very difficult to identify out of context, even for grown-ups, such as a ball, a baby swing, and a crib. The recto scenes are oddly cropped, poorly composed, and add little to the effort.
For a baby’s first foray into books, there are far better high-contrast titles than this offering, such as Phyllis Limbacher Tildes’ Baby Animals Spots & Stripes (2015) and Baby Animals Day & Night (2016). (Board book. 0-2)Pub Date: April 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-936669-44-8
Page Count: 14
Publisher: blue manatee press
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Categories: CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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An abecedary of spooky or autumnal delights for the littlest readers.
Each letter of the alphabet is highlighted on a single page, the upper- and lowercase letters appearing in the upper left-hand corner, while the object is named at the bottom or in the upper right. Ho keeps her illustrations simple and places them against plain, brightly colored backgrounds, keeping them accessible to those still learning about Halloween’s many icons. The almost-fluorescent orange cover is sure to attract attention, and the palette of black, purple, orange, yellow, and radioactive green enhances the Halloween mood. But while many of the chosen items will be expected—bats, ghost, haunted house, owl, skeleton, vampire, witch, zombie—others are rather odd choices. J is for “jump,” not jack-o’-lantern (“pumpkin” is illustrated with a jack-o’-lantern); K is for a mostly black “kitten” standing in a coffin; and N is for “nightmare,” which is virtually impossible to express visually for this age group without provoking said nightmare. Here, a lavender-skinned child (zombie?) in pajamas and nightcap has arms raised and mouth open wide in surprise—perhaps in response to the mummy across the gutter? The tough letters use “quiver,” spider-decorated “underpants” on a monster, and “extra treats,” the x underlined.
While the ghoulies here are more cute than scary, “jump,” “quiver,” and “run” will probably get across the idea to even the youngest listeners that Halloween can be scary. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9527-9
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Nosy Crow/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
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This picture book plays on the universal temptation to push buttons.
A squirrel—presumably the first-person narrator of the book—finds a large, round, red button and wonders what would happen when it’s pressed. The squirrel presses the button, and a large rubber horn pops up and honks: “Beep!” The sound attracts a bird and a dog, and together the three come across a triangular orange button. “What does the orange button do?” they wonder, and they discover that it causes them all to clap. As the picture book progresses, other animals—including an elephant, a tortoise, a deer, and a small dinosaur—join the trio, and together they come across and press a giant hexagonal blue button, a round green button, a yellow button (literally—it looks as though it’s come off a coat), a square pink button, and a small purple button that can only be reached by climbing a ladder. Each of the buttons makes the friends do something different, from singing and bouncing to blowing raspberries. British writer Nicholls’ simple, silly narrative and Woollvin’s colorfully childlike illustrations result in a fun picture book that incorporates shapes and colors and that can be used at home and in libraries and classrooms. Pages are dominated by gray with accents—including the animals’ fur and feathers—changing to match the color of each button.
Should have readers and caregivers singing, clapping, and bouncing along. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6715-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tundra
Review Posted Online: Oct. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS
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