A comfortably silly adventure for wild babies and tame ones, too.
A pair of babies switch places for the day.
Lively Leonie, a human baby drawn to climbing “dirty, dangerous things,” and peaceable Pete, a coyote pup who enjoys a tidy bed and whose politeness sets him apart from his pack, wander into each other’s homes one morning. Pete’s mother mistakes the small energetic creature in a pointy-eared hoodie for her own child, and Leonie’s tired dad is too exhausted to realize that the baby who has crawled into the crib has fur. Though “there was something a little off about the way Pete smelled…and the way Leonie’s nose twitched,” the parents go with the flow. Poster’s figures are both delicate and comical. Leonie has a look of kinetic determination, Pete of mildness and calm; both have the soft, rounded look of the very young. The babies enjoy their new environments. “Pete liked the woods. They were dirty!” accompanies an image of Leonie romping with coyotes. “Leonie liked the cottage. It was pleasant,” the text observes dryly as Pete settles in—readers in on the switch will be amused. Eventually the parents exchange the babies for their own (but meet again for a picnic). Poster’s brushed velvety gray backgrounds, adept use of light and shadow, and muted palette—warm pinks and peaches with blue highlighted dialogue balloons—convey a sense of friendliness and safe exploration. Human characters are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A comfortably silly adventure for wild babies and tame ones, too. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9780525553793
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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