This playful depiction of a loving family gathering is a suitable introduction for observant families.
A Jewish family makes busy preparations as Shabbat (or Sabbath) approaches.
The text consists of rhymed couplets describing the activities, all followed by the title line as refrain: “Friday’s here. / Jump and cheer. / Shabbat is coming.” A boy, a girl, their mother and father, one set of grandparents and a helpful family dog gather to complete such tasks as braiding challah dough, setting the table, tidying up and putting coins in a special bank. The final line announces that “Shabbat is here!” as the family gathers at the dining-room table, where two candles, wine and challah adorn the table. Parents looking for a book to provide specialized Shabbat vocabulary will have to look elsewhere (for example, the challah bread and the practice of making tzedakah, donations for the needy, are not named or even labeled within the art). Despite this minor quibble, the bouncy verse and Garofoli’s richly colored, slightly three-dimensional cartoons against canvas-textured background provide a compelling introduction to the weekly celebration.
This playful depiction of a loving family gathering is a suitable introduction for observant families. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4677-1367-2
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead.
An Easter-themed board-book parody of the traditional nursery rhyme.
Unfortunately, this effort is just as sugary and uninspired as The Itsy Bitsy Snowman, offered by the same pair in 2015. A cheerful white bunny hops through a pastel world to distribute candy and treats for Easter but spills his baskets. A hedgehog, fox, mouse, and various birds come to the bunny’s rescue, retrieving the candy, helping to devise a distribution plan, and hiding the eggs. Then magically, they all fly off in a hot air balloon as the little animals in the village emerge to find the treats. Without any apparent purpose, the type changes color to highlight some words. For very young children every word is new, so highlighting “tiny tail” or “friends” makes no sense. Although the text is meant to be sung, the words don't quite fit the rhythm of the original song. Moreover, there are not clear motions to accompany the text; without the fingerplay movements, this book has none of the satisfying verve of the traditional version.
Leave the hopping to Peter Cottontail and sing the original song instead. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5621-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery.
A troop of cats traverse a spooky landscape as they make their way to a party hosted by ghosts.
Each double-page spread shows the felines’ encounters with the likes of an owl, jack-o’-lanterns or a bat. One or two of these creepy meetings may be too abstract for the youngest readers, as the cats hear eerie noises with no discernible source on the page. The text, which consists of one rhyming couplet per scene, mostly scans despite a couple of wobbles: “Five black cats get a bit of a scare / As the flip-flapping wings of a bat fill the air.” The sleek, slightly retro art, likely created using a computer, depicts the cats cavorting at night through a shadowy cityscape, the countryside and a haunted house; they may scare some toddlers and delight others. A brighter color palette would have given the project a friendlier, more universal appeal. Luckily, the well-lit, final party scene provides a playful conclusion.
For toddlers unafraid of typical Halloween imagery. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-611-8
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Sept. 24, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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