Constructed with extra thick pages, the book probably won’t wear out quickly, but that doesn’t justify its purchase....
Lai uses a simple counting book to introduce the board-book set to the picture-book adventurer met previously in Tomo Explores the World (2016) and Tomo Takes Flight (2017).
After a promising start—“1 bright day on Half-Moon Bay / 2 best friends go on their way”—the story becomes just a list of what the friends see (“3 big bears,” “4 funny frogs”) rather than an artful incorporation of counting into the plot. Though Half Moon Bay is an actual place in Northern California, the animals featured in this story seem to have been chosen at random; polar bears don’t live there. Similarly, Tomo and his friend are not anchored in a particular place or ethnicity. They are shown in a hot air balloon, wearing furred parkas in a boat, and on an island dock. Both are black-haired with pink skin. Latinx? Asian? Indigenous? It’s impossible to know. Except when the girl friend looks horrified at the sight of jellyfish, they are always smiling, often with tongues visible. In companion title Tomo and His Animal Friends the girl is given a name, Maya. It features the same bland digital art and suffers from the same weaknesses.
Constructed with extra thick pages, the book probably won’t wear out quickly, but that doesn’t justify its purchase. Toddlers deserve better. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: April 17, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-11989-6
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Imprint
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 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
An invitation for readers to learn through observation.
Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.
Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An invitation for readers to learn through observation. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-46509-7
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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