This book’s peekaboo-inspired design is charming—and delicate.
This lovely board book gets big points for inventive design and one demerit for its use of flimsy stock for the fold-a-flap elements. Grabby youngsters could quickly deprive Teddy of a limb, or at least of a hiding place. That said, the artwork and design are irresistible, and a well-supervised child should get many rewarding readings out of a copy of this book. The action unfolds, pun intended, in a series of two-page vignettes. Each set piece starts with the titular question. The answers, revealed by unfolding each sequence’s corresponding flaps, include “Here I am,” as Teddy’s arms are folded down to reveal his eyes in classic peekaboo fashion; “Under the umbrella with Daddy”; “Under the covers with Mommy”; “In the box, with all the toys”; and the climactic “Look, I’m right here with you,” as the accompanying flap reveals Teddy holding a mirror to reflect his young readers. There are a few surprises along the way—one stack of blocks conceals not Teddy but a robot friend; Teddy is hiding behind the other stack. Better still, one two-page spread has not one but three flaps to unfold, but Teddy isn’t behind any of them. The call-and-response format encourages vocabulary-building and verbal skills, but late talkers will be delighted as well.
Great fun; potentially brief life span. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-2-40800-434-7
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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A familiar song repackaged as a board book doubles as a finger puppet.
Many a caregiver has sung this refrain to a newborn or toddler, ignoring the decidedly sad lyrics of the original. Magsamen lays claim and sweetens it up. She uses only the chorus and changes the last line to “I’ll give you lots of hugs… / and kisses every day” instead of the expected “Please don’t take my sunshine away.” Her cheery artwork, reminiscent of applique, recalls the song’s country-music roots and is anything but sad. The pages are decorated with hearts and cuddly-looking caregiver-child animal pairs—foxes, skunks with sunny yellow umbrellas, bunnies, raccoons, and squirrels. The thick, heart-shaped pages include a circular die-cut hole through which readers might poke the smiling felt sun puppet attached to the back cover. A finger inserted from the back makes the sun wiggle and will capture even the youngest baby’s attention. The puppet feature does not obstruct the initial page turns, but when a toddler says, “Do it again” (as they doubtless will), quickly re-positioning the finger puppet is somewhat challenging.
A fun but inessential novelty, as much toy as book. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-30576-0
Page Count: 6
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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A favorite baby-and-toddler activity receives an upbeat celebration that will get those fingers going. Watch out!
The gang of frazzled felines that populate this outing are truly the cat's meow. Based on Boynton's song of the same title, the text is reproduced in a colored, patterned font that amps the energy right up. A forlorn little kitty, paws clasped in front of his body, appears anxious (though slightly intrigued) when a trio of toms encourages him to join in the fun. “Gitchy-gitchy / Goo Gotta / Ready, Set, Go!” It doesn't take long before the cautious cat jumps in on this chorus line with dramatic leaps and fluttering fingers. A little birdie acts as a square-dance caller, enunciating each beat (“Goo bop. / Gitchy-goo bop”). The shaggy, large-nosed felines are tremendously expressive in their synchronized movements and maintain a rollicking pace. “We can tickle high. / We can tickle low. / We can tickle QUICKQUICKQUICK / as fast as we can go!” (Here, the page is filled with iterations of "gitchy gitchy gitchy" in different colors.) At the end, the gang sprawls on the floor, exhausted, after a truly monumental tickle-fest.
Sure to prompt little fingers into joyful action. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7611-6883-6
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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