Hillenbrand (Look Out, Jack! The Giant Is Back, 2001, etc.) offers a fresh perspective on the familiar nursery rhyme and folk song about a farmer’s pack of pleasing critters. The cast of characters remains true to the traditional rhyme, with the usual assortment of farm animals all taking a turn playing a tune after being fed under the tree. The final stanza, describing the arrival of the farmer’s baby, functions not only as the culmination of the poem, but also is a revelation of the animal’s true purpose. Hillenbrand’s lively, eye-catching illustrations complete the tale, adding new layers of meaning to the text. Each stanza is separated into two parts and accompanied by a two-page spread. The description of the animal and its mealtime comprises the daytime illustrations. Tucked into each illustration is a toy animal, indicating the next critter to be fed and hinting at the farmer’s imminent arrival. Alternating with the daytime pictures are the evening illustrations, depicting the animal’s musical endeavors. Each new creature is added to the cavalcade of critters—creating a rumba line of animal musicians in the old barn. Their raucous hoedown reaches a crescendo when the animals serenade the farmer’s newborn under the gleam of the full moon. Toe-tapping fun. (musical score) (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-201945-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Gulliver/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love.
A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.
In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1236-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
The lifecycle of the frog is succinctly summarized in this easy reader for children reading at the late first-grade level. In just one or two sentences per page, Vern details the amazing metamorphosis of the frog from egg to tadpole to adult, even injecting a little humor despite the tight word count. (“Watch out fly! Mmmm!) Large, full-color photographs on white backgrounds clearly illustrate each phase of development. Without any mention of laying eggs or fertilization, the title might be a bit misleading, but the development from black dot egg to full-grown frog is fascinating. A simple chart of the three main lifecycle steps is also included. Lifecycles are part of the standard curriculum in the early elementary grades, and this will be a welcome addition to school and public libraries, both for its informational value and as an easy reader. (Nonfiction/easy reader. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-216304-2
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
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