From newcomer Braun, a delightful and simple story of how a mother goose goes about producing goslings. The narrator offers a brief physical profile of her farmyard goose, then explains that when Betsy gets the nesting call, she puts together a homey abode of straw and down and fills it with eggs. She sets on the eggs for a month, except for a daily stretch for a nibble and a bath; all the while the gander insures her privacy. And then the goslings emerge. It’s charmingly related in a subdued, musical voice that invests the story with all the natural rhythms of the act. Bendall-Brunello’s artwork is as inviting as the story and makes readers feel very much a part of the process. The earth-toned scenes show all the actions of the geese, creating a lovely link to the natural world and to a way of life that deserves just the kind of admiration generated here. (index) (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7636-0449-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
Readers journey through the seasons with puppies whose behavior resembles that of preschoolers. They dodge falling apple blossoms in spring, have a picnic with friends in summer, pick apples and jump in piles of leaves in fall, and have a snowball fight in winter. Murphy (Caterpillar’s Wish, p. 454, etc.) captures the joy and surprises inherent in the arrival of the seasons, making this book a real heartwarmer. The bright coloring of her illustrations engages readers, as the puppies find a new adventure around every corner; the text is a terrific one to read a loud, subtly conveying with humor some time-honored lessons on ecology, sharing, and cooperation. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7894-3484-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An airy, light look at one boy’s day at the bay. Camera in tow, a young naturalist sets out in search of frogs. While there are frogs a-plenty hiding under the dock, behind rocks, and perched on the rim of his hat, his eyes are opened to polliwogs, blue herons, crayfish, hummingbirds, loons and turtles. Rhyming couplets accompany each “snapshot” of nature, forming a short, caption-like storyline for this trip around the bay. At the end of his journey, he wonders if the creatures will say, “I saw a human being today.” Pencil crayon illustrations are pale but peaceful, adding to the meditative, meandering mode. The frogs in every spread will gratify find-and-point toddlers and other young listeners. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-55074-498-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
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