Though very affectionate, this drift into slumber hops heavily
A bunny exults in the joys of bedtime one yawn at a time.
Both parents assist their little rabbit through the nightly ritual until their child's words turn to zzz's. Mom playfully chases her bunny into bed; Dad gets syrupy after the story: “Of all the millions and squillions of little bunnies around the world, how did I get so lucky to have the best one?” The bunny's reflections on his day's activities shift to dramatic, imaginative dreams; the youngster rides bees toward the moon and sails aboard a makeshift pirate ship on a sea made of raspberry jelly and teeming with goldfish. The padded cover encloses gentle spreads that idealize this loving family; the bunnies' fuzzy outlines keep the adorable level at an all-time high. The young narrator addresses his audience in a self-conscious, adult-sounding voice. “Remembering my best moments makes me feel good about being me!” As behavior modeling, this celebration excels; as a depiction of childhood, it leaves a little to be desired.
Though very affectionate, this drift into slumber hops heavily . (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-29016-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
For lift-the-flap done right, skip this one and choose Lucy Cousins’ Maisy’s Big Flap Book (2001) or one of Karen Katz’s...
A chunky lift-the-flap board book about a little lost duckling reunited with its family.
Mama Duck has lost her littlest egg. The ladybugs haven’t seen it. Neither have the fish. The Easter Bunny, however, knows exactly where to look. After the family is reunited, they all go home for a good night’s rest. The text incorporates a lift-the-flap feature, but there does not seem to be much rhyme or reason behind this choice. Seemingly random parts of the text and illustrations are hidden under flaps, with the only rhetorically effective spread being the one featuring the flap that turns out to be hiding the little duck. The illustrations incorporate animals made of Play-Doh, lending them a distinct Claymation quality. They are very colorful but so busy as to appear crowded. Little ones might enjoy looking for the yellow eggshell containing the missing duckling on several of the pages if they are not too distracted by the unnecessary flaps.
For lift-the-flap done right, skip this one and choose Lucy Cousins’ Maisy’s Big Flap Book (2001) or one of Karen Katz’s delightful outings, such as Where Is Baby’s Yummy Tummy? (2011) or Where Is Baby’s Puppy? (2011). (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-60710-771-2
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Silver Dolphin
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
Toddlers and young preschoolers will snap this up.
Big, colorful animals pop out from beneath big, sturdy flaps in this safari for the Snugli set.
There are occasional hints in the rhymes of “nature red in tooth and claw”: “Who’s lying in the yellow grass with peeking, watchful eyes? / It’s Lion who’s about to pounce—to little Snake’s surprise!” Despite this, the art’s sunny colors and smiling animals have a properly buoyant effect. The flaps, which nearly fill each alternating page, lift up, down or sideways to reveal said Lion, a banana-throwing Monkey, a splashing Elephant, a Giraffe and, for a climactic thrill, a “snippy-snappy Crocodile” with upthrust, closing jaws. Though at just five spreads this outing is a short one, the heavy card stock on which it is printed and the simple architecture of the pop-ups ensure reasonable durability (for the volume, if not that snake). Cheep Cheep Pop-Up Fun publishes simultaneously and features a rather less-fraught setting: a barnyard.
Toddlers and young preschoolers will snap this up. (Pop-up picture book. 3-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-58925-548-7
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
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