Very much in the same vein as the previous Froggie and Rabbit books, Asher’s latest contribution finds Froggie all hepped up about an impending visit from Goose, Gander and their new baby, Gosling. He’s got so many ants in his pants, he is inspired to compose a little ditty—“Waiting for baby / to play with me. / Wait— / (Can’t wait.) / And wait— / (Gotta wait.)”—that serves as refrain, crescendo and climax. As Froggie’s anticipation builds, Graves steps in to provide visual energy with vivid, rather zany characters in full-page and spot art. When Gosling finally arrives, he is bawling like mad and nothing will quiet him. The colicky gosling is getting to Froggie, so he breaks into his song and does a funky soft shoe, which does the trick. With its scant story line and oversold message, this book is all about engagement; as a read-aloud, it should achieve a strong response to Froggie’s song, especially if accompanied by some freestyling dance steps. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: May 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25085-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2009
The day that Mole gets his new shovel, he starts to dig for treasure despite his brother betting that he won’t find any. The first thing Mole finds is a twig (which a bird thinks is treasure). Digging further, he finds a shell (treasure to a snail), an acorn (treasure to a squirrel) and finally, another hole where a little mole pops up—a real treasure: a friend for Mole. Will Hillenbrand’s illustrations have a different look here, less detail and design, and are geared more to pre-schoolers, as is the story. Using tempera, oil pastels and ink on canvas, he relies on simple, outlined shapes with minimal features, textures and patterns against white backgrounds to match the unembellished and guileless tale. The first effort from this husband and wife team plainly conveys with animals and nature the adage, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” for early ages. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: March 15, 2006
ISBN: 0-8234-1896-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
Rare is the diaper-clad observer who hasn’t marveled at this slow-moving creature with the intriguing tendency to curl into a tiny ball; here’s an import designed to answer any questions that might come up. The information is basic but specific; in simple terms the many-legged narrator shows where pill bugs are found, what they eat and excrete—“As soon as we eat, we poop (lots and lots of square-shaped poop)”—what eats them, how they grow and how they differ from such similar mites as insects and woodlice. Dark gray and thumb-sized or smaller on the page, the pill bugs in Takahashi’s torn-paper collages present an air of lowly harmlessness in keeping with the closing invitation to keep a few (for a while) in a modest terrarium for closer study. Nourishing fare for young naturalists-in-the-bud. (Picture book/nonfiction. 3-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-929132-95-6
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
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