A pedantic marketing tool.
This board book based on Disney's PJ Masks series has only one purpose—to sell the TV show, app, toys, action figures, and even costumes based on the stereotypical characters.
Color-coded tabs with a headshot of each character let young fans quickly find their favorite's page. The “heroes” wear bright red, blue, and green, reminiscent of past popular superheroes, while the “villains” all wear darker colors. (Evil Romeo with a stripe of white in his black hair wears a brown lab coat; Luna Girl's outfit is a clingy black tunic and gray leggings; Night Ninja is blue/black all over, and his sidekicks are deep purple.) The heroes' mild exclamations (“Fluttering feathers!”) contrast with the villains' threats and name-calling. The heroes’ alter egos have talents similar to the animals they mimic. Connor becomes Catboy—quick, with acute hearing; Amaya swoops in as sharp-eyed Owlette; Greg becomes Gekko, who can change colors and has a superstrong grip. The villains' character flaws are spelled out: Romeo wants to rule the world, Luna Girl steals, and Night Ninja suffers from “overconfidence.” With the exception of Night Ninja, all characters are light-skinned. As with most battles between good and evil, the bad guys are actually more interesting, which might be why the creators spend so much time trying to convince their young readers that the villains won't win.
A pedantic marketing tool. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8650-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
This awkward attempt to force underwear out into the open will likely please many toddlers but few of their grown-ups.
This celebration of briefs (not boxers) leaves little to the imagination.
Bear receives an envelope inviting him to follow a trail of undergarments. His journey leads him deep into the dark woods, and even under the kitchen sink, in search of these undies. The final clue takes him to a disco, where blocky, big-eyed, SpongeBob SquarePants–like characters don their recently recovered underpants. A hairy monster with polka-dot briefs, jagged teeth and bare feet balances a bunny and porcupine in either hand and serves as the unusual party's host. “Welcome to FUN-TO-WEAR, / a party about underwear! / Here's every pattern / and every pair. / Count all Ten and shout: / HOORAY FOR BEAR!” Tabbed, numbered pages help readers keep track of the corresponding clothing. Tabs, text bubbles and backgrounds are all color-coordinated with the various undies. Any substantial plot or character development is sacrificed to the gleeful celebration of tightywhities (or stripies, or plaidies or swirlies).
This awkward attempt to force underwear out into the open will likely please many toddlers but few of their grown-ups. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: May 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60905-204-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Blue Apple
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Children will especially appreciate seeing their wisdom validated in this sweet mother-son outing.
In this variation on a well-trodden theme, mother barn owl Caterina takes her son Leo to the beach.
They would both love to see a whale. But no one can plan to see a whale. Not even Caterina, in spite of, or perhaps because of, all her research. She brings a large cart stuffed with brochures, lists, articles, and information about whales, not forgetting the sunscreen, an elaborate lunch, craft supplies, and all the essentials for a day at the beach. She even researches castles in preparation for building a castle based on a Japanese temple. Leo, however, refuses to be distracted by the research and keeps his eye on the prize, leading his mother into the ocean, where their search is finally rewarded with a huge beautiful whale, close-up and personal. The message of the story will resonate with today’s busy and stressed parents: don’t let your obsessions get in the way of true experience, and allow yourself to be guided by the young. What distinguishes this book from similar-themed offerings is the engaging eclectic collage that nimbly mirrors Caterina’s parenting style. Fussy little lists, photos cut from magazines, drawings, textures, and other ephemera are strewn across the pages, giving young readers plenty of eye candy and adults some serious ideas to think about.
Children will especially appreciate seeing their wisdom validated in this sweet mother-son outing. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 19, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4131-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2015
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