by Tamara Shopsin & Jason Fulford ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2018
Even though it is only black and white, it is infinitely creative and colorful.
Wife-and-husband team Shopsin and Fulford have done the impossible and reimagined the color concept book.
“We made you a colors book. It has no color: Hold up the pages and look through the shaped holes. You’ll find all the colors you need.” So begins the only text in the book, except for the directive to “FIND” the named, absent color on the double spreads. Each page includes a die-cut hole at the center that youngsters can hold up and peek through to find the specified color in their environs. The recto is white and the verso is black, which allows children to use either as the frame. A sun (a die-cut circle with die-cut lines radiating out) is in search of yellow, a rooster needs red, and a leaf requires green. After the usual subjects are out of the way, the project goes on to include less-common colors, like a trio of squiggly worms for pink, four paw prints for brown, a pair of sunglasses for black. The seek-and-find mission ends with a rainbow arc and the decree to “FIND COLORS.” Created in partnership with the Whitney Museum of American Art, this book would be an excellent companion for readers’ next gallery visits. The tough binding and sturdy pages will withstand robust interaction, but younger toddlers may need some adult help holding up the book due to its substantial weight.
Even though it is only black and white, it is infinitely creative and colorful. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: June 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7659-7
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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by Tamara Shopsin & Jason Fulford ; illustrated by Tamara Shopsin & Jason Fulford
by John Canty ; illustrated by John Canty ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 23, 2018
A clever conceit but a bland execution.
In this minimalist Australian import, readers are encouraged to guess animals based on select written and visual clues.
On each recto, readers see the hindquarters of an animal, and three simple clues ask them to guess what kind of animal they may belong to. “I have long furry ears and a small nose. / I live in a burrow in the ground. / I have a white fluffy tail. / I AM A….” The splashy watercolor rear legs and tail are ambiguous enough that they may have readers second-guessing the obvious answer. Turning the page, however, readers discover both the well-defined front half of the animal and the animal’s name: “RABBIT.” Canty uses stock 19th-century animal illustrations layered with watercolor enhancements, creating a somber yet surprising tone. Two tailless animals, a frog and human readers, are included in the roster, making the “tails” referenced in the title symbolic rather than literal. Two red herrings, the image of a mouse between the clues for and image of an elephant and (inexplicably) a squirrel leading to a giraffe, fall flat, with no other cues to young readers that they are jokes. The quirky illustrations, earthy colors, and lack of exhibited enthusiasm will make this book’s audience a niche one. There is no backmatter.
A clever conceit but a bland execution. (Informational picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0033-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
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by John Canty ; illustrated by John Canty
by Stéphanie Babin ; illustrated by Ilaria Falorsi ; translated by Wendeline A. Hardenberg ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2019
Genial starter nonfiction.
Panels activated by sliding tabs introduce youngsters to the human body.
The information is presented in matter-of-fact narration and captioned, graphically simple art featuring rounded lines, oversized heads and eyes, and muted colors. The sliding panels reveal new scenes on both sides of the page, and arrows on the large tabs indicate the direction to pull them (some tabs work left and right and others up and down). Some of the tabs show only slight changes (a white child reaches for a teddy bear, demonstrating how arms and hands work), while others are much more surprising (a different white child runs to a door and on the other side of the panel is shown sitting on the toilet). The double-page spreads employ broad themes as organizers, such as “Your Body,” “Eating Right,” and “Taking Care of Your Body.” Much of the content is focused on the outside of the body, but one panel does slide to reveal an X-ray image of a skeleton. While there are a few dark brown and amber skin tones, it is mostly white children who appear in the pages to demonstrate body movements, self-care, visiting the doctor, senses, and feelings. The companion volume, Baby Animals, employs the same style of sliding panels to introduce youngsters to little critters and their parents, from baboons to penguins.
Genial starter nonfiction. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-2-40800-850-5
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
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by Stéphanie Babin , illustrated by Marion Billet , Hélène Convert Julie Mercier & Emmanuel Ristord ; translated by Wendeline A. Hardenberg
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by Stéphanie Babin ; illustrated by Manu Callejon
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by Stéphanie Babin ; illustrated by Olivia Cosneau ; translated by Wendeline A. Hardenberg
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