It gets credit for the nonfiction content but does not otherwise leap to the front of the pod.
A narwhal finger puppet accompanies related facts in this compact board book.
Similar to predecessor Baby Raccoon (2020), this small and chunky board book offers different toddler-appropriate factoids about its subject, providing exposure to relevant words such as tusk. Little listeners might be surprised to learn that narwhals communicate by clicking and how they hold their breath “for a long time!” Keeping the book short with a simple sentence or two on each page maintains a swift and age-appropriate pace. The finger puppet itself is a cute gimmick, designed more for an adult’s finger than a child’s given the thickness of the book. Aside from having a tusk, the finger puppet doesn’t resemble a real narwhal. Its light blue body and sparkly purple tusk make it more akin to a unicorn than a whale (capitalizing on unicorn popularity, perhaps). This stands in contrast to the book’s otherwise informative, nonfiction tone. The accompanying illustrations are simple, extending a painted body for the protagonist from the puppet on each spread and endowing all the normal characters with googly eyes and smiles. But while this is a nice, informational text for a younger audience with a high-interest animal as its subject, the finger puppet adds little.
It gets credit for the nonfiction content but does not otherwise leap to the front of the pod. (Board book/novelty. 1-3)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7972-0565-6
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
In the end, while Cat is cute enough, it’s Dog who has an interesting tale to tell.
A little puppy faces some big challenges while out on a hike with its owner.
On each left-hand page, the little dog finds itself in a variety of outdoorsy binds and, on the facing page, escapes each dangerous or uncomfortable predicament. The text follows this same pattern and captions each page with one pithy line: “Too high / Big scramble // Too deep / Big swim.” When the puppy gets just too worn out to go any further, its owner reaches down to give it a pat and then allows it a “[b]ig rest” before setting out to make it to “the top // Together.” Mosz’s droll paintings in rich colors playfully capture the dog’s responses, but occasional facing-page spreads depict the pup twice, which may confuse little listeners. The sister title, Cat Comes Too, follows a similar format to depicts a kitten’s adventures in the attic with its owner. Here, the layout problems are worse. Separate scenes blur together across the spreads, and the close-ups make it hard to follow the twists and turns of the action. In one scene where the text reads “Too swingy,” it is not at all clear what the kitty is dangling from. While both pets are equally expressive, the mostly double-page spreads of the puppy’s story give the action room to breathe.
In the end, while Cat is cute enough, it’s Dog who has an interesting tale to tell. (Board book. 18 mos.-3)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-55451-479-3
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
This sweet and simple offering is ideal for sharing one-on-one or for featuring with a small audience in a program...
This volume in the Simply Small board-book series introduces Emma, a little hedgehog with a heart of gold.
Emma and her three sisters exhaust themselves trudging along after Daddy up a steep hill. Inspired by the sweet scent in the air, Emma picks flowers and hands one to each of her three wilting sisters. They each give her a kiss in return, as does her proud father, and that makes: “Three flowers, / four kisses, and / five hedgehogs / —happy at home.” This final spread shows the five critters resting all cuddled together in a contented clump, with Emma’s sisters still holding onto their precious flowers. The simple, uncluttered illustrations complement the sparse but apt text. The only things pictured are the hedgehogs, the hill and the flowers, all of which are drawn with very thick, bold outlines. The sky is rendered a soft pink, the hill a light green and the hedgehogs shades of tan, with the blue, white and yellow flowers adding a bit of variety to the palette.
This sweet and simple offering is ideal for sharing one-on-one or for featuring with a small audience in a program celebrating family or, even better, small acts of kindness and love. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-897476-93-2
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Simply Read
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2014
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