The best yet of Milich’s urban albums for the toddler set, this offers within each photograph’s frame both numerals and familiar items to count, from a single pedestrian with a “1” on his back to “10” tempting French fries lined up on a plate. For context and reinforcement, each big, bright color picture comes with a bulleted number line and the number written out on the facing page. Each pair of numbers is then followed by a double-paged spread that includes the accumulation to that point. In some instances, the photos are natural; in others, Milich has added subjects. So readers will find six little manmade chicks perched on an iron fence in between six finials, but numbers one to 8 in brass over an elevator. Like Stephen Johnson’s City By Numbers (1998), this offers an irresistible invitation to count, and also to look more closely at the world all around. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: March 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-55337-540-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Engaging, appealing, and validating—social-emotional learning done right.
The adorable anthropomorphic cloud introduced in Ploof (2023) returns for more interactive fun.
Ploof is ready to create a rainbow but needs some help. An unseen narrator asks readers to lend a hand: “Let’s begin with a rainbow shape. Do you see any?” “Can you try blocking the wind?” Children become an integral part of moving the plot forward as they “mix” colors for the rainbow and provide Ploof with words of encouragement. The rainbow doesn’t turn out how Ploof wanted it to, so readers give the cloud a moment to cry (rain falls from Ploof) and take deep breaths. The book ends on a positive note with an invitation to play again. Ploof is a sweet and approachable little cloud, with large eyes and a simple smile. Set against a pale blue background, the puffy cumulus paints the sky with swaths of pastel rainbow colors. Not only are the questions and physical interactions a nice fit for the toddler and preschool crowd, but the story also offers sound guidance on coping with uncomfortable feelings. It’s an ideal option for caregivers to read aloud one-on-one and for teachers to share with a group of students.
Engaging, appealing, and validating—social-emotional learning done right. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781774881941
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
Simple and delightful—just like a rainbow.
How do colors make you feel?
A snail emerges from his flowerpot home amid a rainstorm. When the sun appears and the rain clears up, the snail spots a rainbow, boldly illustrated across the page. As the snail looks at it, he considers all the different hues: “What would it feel like to be VIOLET like a spring flower…or INDIGO like juicy blueberries…or BLUE like the raindrops?” With each new consideration, the outside edge of the snail’s shell, initially all black, turns to that color, pushing the previous hues inward. By the end, the snail’s shell is a matching rainbow, and he proudly declares, “Being all the colors of the rainbow is best! RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, and VIOLET! HOORAY!” The story is spare, but with the right storyteller, it will open countless conversations about colors, feelings, and descriptive words. The artwork supports the text with colorful, striking shapes on white backgrounds. For all the simplicity of the illustrations, the snail is surprisingly emotive, using googly-like eyes on the ends of its stalks to full effect. This tale will be equally at home shared during a large storytime or intimate lap read, and with both, it will be a welcome teaching tool. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Simple and delightful—just like a rainbow. (Concept picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-914912-28-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boxer Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
