by Vivian Newman ; illustrated by Inga Knopp-Kilpert ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2017
While some readers will want a more substantial plot, others will find Moti and his friends charming and even inspiring....
Lots of people commit acts of mischief when no one is looking. Moti the mouse secretly commits good deeds.
Moti lives under the kitchen sink in the home of a white, Jewish family, but he sometimes sneaks out to perform a “mitzvah.” The term is a traditional Hebrew word for “commandment,” but it is often loosely construed as a synonym for “an act of kindness,” and here it even takes on the connotation of “a fun children’s game.” Moti finds lost toys and gives them back to their owners. He decorates placemats to help celebrate Shabbat. The book turns each mitzvah into a puzzle for readers. When Moti tosses “scraps and crumbs” to hungry animals, the text asks, “What mitzvah is Moti doing…?” and “How many birds can you find?” Some readers will be frustrated that this is more of a puzzle book than a story. Others will be pleased by the lack of conflict. In this book, mice and cats get along and give one another gifts—mostly cheese. The loose, sketchy pictures of the characters by Knopp-Kilpert are endearing. As collaged in on her painterly, textured backgrounds, they almost look like stickers that children could collect.
While some readers will want a more substantial plot, others will find Moti and his friends charming and even inspiring. They might even get up in the dark of night to perform good deeds. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5124-2649-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
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by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2023
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character.
Pookie celebrates Easter with a play date and holiday activities.
Pookie’s friend Bean, a gray puppy, comes over for Easter fun that includes lots of bouncing around and egg decorating. After Bean goes home, Pookie gets excited about the Easter Bunny’s arrival and goes to sleep dreaming of a large chocolate egg. Like the other Pookie books before it, this one is told in rhyme from the perspective of a loving grown-up addressing the little pig, which keeps the pace moving and makes for a great read-aloud. Bean and Pookie are realistically—and endearingly—childlike, from Pookie’s pronunciation of yellow as “lellow!” to the joyful mess they make while decorating eggs. There are plenty of sweet and festive touches, such as the bunny ears that Bean and Pookie (and Pookie’s teddy) wear and the daffodils painted on the end of Pookie’s bed. The illustrations include large, full-page images as well as smaller vignettes against solid backgrounds. One page shows Pookie and parent looking out the window at the moon, anticipating Easter’s spoils. For fans of Boynton and little Pookie, this Easter tale is exactly as expected: a touch of playfulness, a relatable story, and comfort in the familiar. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat Easter outing with a beloved character. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-66592-838-0
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Boynton Bookworks
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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by Patricia Hegarty ; illustrated by Julia Woolf ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2013
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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