Beautiful in its simplicity, this book deserves a spot on any toddler’s bookshelf.
Toddlers can follow a black bird as it goes on a colorful expedition from yellow sun to fabled blue moon in this concept board book.
As the titular black bird goes from page to page it makes a striking contrast against the vibrantly colored objects it encounters along the way. Simple, declarative statements in large black type on each page identify the objects: “Black Bird / Purple Grapes // Black Bird / Green Grass // Black Bird / Red Snake.” The bird often interacts with its colorful surroundings, seeming about to pluck a grape and, perhaps, flying away from that red snake. In a departure from his recent line-heavy style for older readers (Lucky Lazlo, 2016, etc.), Light’s clear, uncomplicated illustrations are done in collage and by printing cardboard shapes with ink. The result is so wonderfully textural children will be tempted to touch, and adult readers and their young listeners may even be inspired to try their own hands at stamping with thick gooey paint. Observant readers will not fail to notice there is a small orange worm also making its way across the book. Once again, Light (Trucks Go, 2008, etc.) shows his understanding of the target age group.
Beautiful in its simplicity, this book deserves a spot on any toddler’s bookshelf. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9067-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring in alphabetical order.
Each page displays an enormous capital letter, one line of verse with the keyword capitalized, and a loving nonhuman parent gazing adoringly at their baby. “A is for Always. I always love you more. / B is for Butterfly kisses. It’s you that I adore.” While not named or labelled as such, the A is also for an alligator and its hatchling and B is for a butterfly and a butterfly child (not a caterpillar—biology is not the aim of this title) interacting in some way with the said letter. For E there are an elephant and a calf; U features a unicorn and foal; and X, keyed to the last letter of the animal’s name, corresponds to a fox and three pups. The final double-page spread shows all the featured creatures and their babies as the last line declares: “Baby, I love you from A to Z!” The verse is standard fare and appropriately sentimental. The art is cartoony-cute and populated by suitably loving critters on solid backgrounds. Hearts accent each scene, but the theme of the project is never in any doubt.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but the syrupy sweetness will cloy after the holiday. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2095-6
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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