A lesson in the joys of books and the impermanence of things.
Tactile gimmicks invite handling that this generally sweet book may not withstand.
The thick covers of this interactive board book are quite indestructible, and the pages are sturdy as well, but the many peekaboo flaps—three flaps per double-page scenario—practically beg little hands to tear them from the book. Caregivers, therefore, may want to supervise very young readers whose enthusiasm may outpace their fine-motor skills. Still, there is plenty here to engage and entertain young children. Holes and cutaway patterns encourage children to trace shapes within the pictures. Swatches of fur, spongy rubber, and colorful, metallic fabrics offer several textures to explore. Friendly animals populate five different settings—playroom, park, reading room, beach, and party—featuring many familiar items and new vocabulary words as well. Then there are those flaps. Every baby’s favorite game, peekaboo, becomes a motif as questions asked or implied are answered with a simple flip of a flap. Who’s on stage? Rip away—that is, fold back—the curtain flap. It’s Elephant! Who’s in the box? Tear off—er, lift—the lid to find Bunny Rabbit. What’s squeaking? Yank off—pardon, fold over—the hat-shaped flap. Mouse was underneath it! Kids young enough to damage this book may not recognize the damage. Older children, though, could end up tearful if their favorite peekaboo scene is ruined. Nevertheless, the book demands to be handled.
A lesson in the joys of books and the impermanence of things. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-533-9
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on...
An exploration of the human body through colorful photos.
Every other double-page spread labels the individual parts on one major area: head, torso, back, arm and leg. Ethnically diverse boy-girl pairs serve as models as arrows point to specific features and captions float nearby. While the book usefully mentions rarely depicted body parts, such as eyebrow, armpit and shin, some of the directional arrows are unclear. The arrow pointing at a girl’s shoulder hits her in the upper arm, and the belly button is hard is distinguish from the stomach (both are concealed by shirts). Facts about the human body (“Guess what? You have tiny hairs in your nose that keep out dirt”) appear on alternating spreads along with photos of kids in action. Baby Animals, another title in the Look & Learn series, uses an identical format to introduce readers to seal pups, leopard cubs, elephant calves, ducklings and tadpoles. In both titles, the final spread offers a review of the information and encourages readers to match baby animals to their parents or find body parts on a photo of kids jumping on a trampoline.
Clear nonfiction for the very young is hard to come by, and it appears that the Look & Learn series may finally be on the right track despite earlier titles that were much too conceptual for the audience. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4263-1483-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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