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COUNTING 1 2 3

Name: COUNTING 1 2 3
Author: Violet Peto
ISBN: 978-14654-7866-5

by Violet Peto ; illustrated by Liza Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2019

Overly ambitious and too busy; the counting is overshadowed. Count this one out.

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A counting board book illustrated with nature collages.

A row of 10 die-cut eggs across the front hints at the game within. Each spread follows the same format: On the left are a numeral, the number spelled out, and the word “eggs”; a parent animal guarding the eggs; and a one- or two-line riddle about that animal. Another hint can be found in the eyes or tails seen through small die-cut holes in the flap on the right. Lift the flap to find the answer along with a brief animal fact and sometimes another conversational question. Children at the older end of the recommended age range will quickly learn the pattern. Younger toddlers will quickly tear the rather thin flaps. The first five egg-laying critters are birds (flamingo, hen, owl, hummingbird, and duck). The sixth and seventh are crocodiles and chameleons, which are shown approximately the same size. The eighth, octopus, is a confusing choice, as the eggs are neither easily recognizable nor labeled (eight elongated, white ovals hang from a rock; in reality, there would be dozens). Nine is a tortoise. For 10, caterpillar eggs (again, not to scale) are shown on the left with the caterpillars on the right; the flap reveals 10 butterflies to count with no mention of the pupa stage). The final spread arranges all the critters on a number chart.

Overly ambitious and too busy; the counting is overshadowed. Count this one out. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-14654-7866-5

Page Count: 24

Publisher: DK Publishing

Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
PEEK AND SEEK
by Violet Peto ; illustrated by Charlotte Milner

- BOOK REVIEW
IS IT WARM ENOUGH FOR ICE CREAM?
by Violet Peto ; illustrated by Victoria Palastanga

- BOOK REVIEW
MY FIRST OUT AND ABOUT
by Violet Peto ; illustrated by Rachael Hare

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2014

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE HALLOWEEN SCARIES
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE MADE 32 MISTAKES
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORRY-WORRY WHALE AND THE CLASSROOM JITTERS
by Deborah Diesen ; illustrated by Dan Hanna

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LLAMA LLAMA TRICK OR TREAT

From the Llama Llama series

by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by Anna Dewdney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 19, 2014

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In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.

Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)