An enjoyable way to build pre-K literacy and numeracy skills. (Novelty. 2-5)
At the Number Circus, learning is fun.
Welcome to the Number Circus, where every numeral has a fun and exciting role: 2 is a clown, 6 is an acrobat, and 8 is an animal trainer. On each page of this fanciful and fairly sturdy lift-the-flap book, one simple, cleanly written line of text introduces readers to an anthropomorphized numeral participating in a circus performance. On the bottom or the top of each spread is a series of flaps that have questions on them that guide the reader through literacy and numeracy exercises that are both entertaining and developmentally appropriate. These include counting objects (“How many ribbons is this dancer twirling?”), identifying objects and numerical symbols (is 6 or 4 “at the bottom of the pyramid?”), and understanding relational concepts such as “fewer” and “taller.” The illustrations are busy without feeling crowded, and the palette is soft and inviting. The text—which is mostly questions—is clear and direct, making it easy for children to understand what is being asked of them and to find the answers. It should be noted that this is not a traditional storybook and, until children become familiar with the concepts inside, requires more extensive adult participation than a narrative or nonfiction book might.
An enjoyable way to build pre-K literacy and numeracy skills. (Novelty. 2-5)Pub Date: March 31, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-7828-5765-5
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Appealing enough, but adds little to the substantial dinosaur subgenre. (Picture book. 3-5)
Each dinosaur has his favorite dance and really knows how to shake it!
The fang-tastic T. Rex serves as emcee, introducing a galaxy of dancing dinosaur stars. (He also does a mean tango.) The Duckbills favor disco, Steggy likes the Twist and the Raptors tap dance, complete with canes and hats. In all, 14 varieties of dinosaur step out, illustrated in bold full-page pictures. Tracey Triceratops, adorned with a sparkling gold necklace and matching shoes, does body pops. The Pachycephalosaurus brothers breakdance. Lily Dilophosaurus executes an elegant waltz, in a hot-pink gown and scarves for gesticulation. Patty Apatasaurus and her crew of three samba, careful to avoid the pile of poo she's deposited(!). Maia Maiasaurus moonwalks in one white glove. Judges hold up scores that vary wildly. And every few pages, a small illustration in the corner of the page depicts a judge being snatched away by green claws. Wildish's pictures are funny, but Clarke's rhyming text is disappointingly minimal, relying on the tropes of reality-TV dance shows that many in the audience may not recognize.
Appealing enough, but adds little to the substantial dinosaur subgenre. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-936140-67-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Imagine Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
For Boomers, a nostalgic trip back to their diaper-clad days, and if not exactly multicultural (despite some song lyrics in...
Despite the art’s distinctly retro look and coloring, the five Golden Books in this gathering—four complete, one excerpted—only rarely come off as period pieces.
Lap-sitters and lap-providers alike will enjoy following a delighted-looking preschooler who is credibly ambiguous of gender, though to judge from the visible toys and furniture, probably originally intended to be a girl. She takes them on a tour of Baby’s House (1950, written by Gelolo McHugh) before moving on to Ruth Krauss’s hymn to empowerment I Can Fly (1950), the concept-driven Up and Down Book (1964), the contemporary nursery rhymes of Miriam Clark Potter in The Golden Book of Little Verses (1953) and the 21 standard folk songs and singing games selected from The New Golden Song Book (1955). All but the last two titles are published here for the first time in a large format. Though Blair’s modernist illustrations display stylistic changes over the years, they make the transition in size without losing their bright colors and sharply defined figures. Furthermore, her fondness for floating children, familiar pets or farm animals and isolated details in open-bordered compositions adds timeless, energetic visual rhythms, even to bedtime scenes.
For Boomers, a nostalgic trip back to their diaper-clad days, and if not exactly multicultural (despite some song lyrics in German and French), still enjoyable for today's young children. (introduction) (Picture book collection. 3-5, adult)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-375-87044-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Golden Books/Random
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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