An adorable evocation of the minor struggles and major charms of toddler nap time.
Will Cat finally succumb to sleep?
A fluffy striped orange tabby kitten, its eyes at half-mast, clutches a tiny blue teddy and a soft blanket whose fish print is matched by the book’s endpapers. Other essentials—including a sippy cup with milk—are at hand, but Cat has so many enticing soft toys. Wouldn’t a pretend picnic be a great idea, complete with milk? “Not playtime, Cat,” scolds the unseen narrator. “Nap time!” Cat decides the picnic blanket would make a great cape and perches, paw outstretched, on the upended toy box. “No! Not Super Cat. Nap, Cat!” shouts the narrator. “Oh dear.” That box wasn’t properly balanced: “Splat!” “Poor Cat.” Later, the narrator asks, “Cuddle, Cat?” The kitten beds down in a cozy old-fashioned white-painted wood cot on rockers, with a cut-out heart; it’s big enough for all the stuffies, blanket, and Cat. Checklist: “Toothbrush, Cat.” “Pillow, Cat.” “Night light, Cat.” Tucked in, Cat's eyes are wide: What has been forgotten now? Oh, it’s bow tie–sporting teddy, who’s fallen on the floor, and with a kiss and another cuddle, Cat is ready for “sweet dreams.” Cat stands upright, making a solid rectangle of cloudlike kitten fur, but the expressive ears, eyes, and mouth are all feline. Bright colors make essential details (like the rug and mobile) pop, and the handling is sure. Cat is irresistible.
An adorable evocation of the minor struggles and major charms of toddler nap time. (Picture book. 0-4)Pub Date: March 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781250392220
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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