20 minute read
BOARD & NOVELTY BOOKS
rainbow shopping
while the children happily make their way home beneath a rainbow to welcoming parents and dry towels. Duchess tells the tale in precisely drawn household and neighborhood scenes bright with smiling faces, many in shades of brown and belonging to a cast of joyful neighbors and playmates, including one child who uses a wheelchair and another with a hijab-wearing mom. There’s no musical arrangement, but an afterword expands on the song’s meaning as well as its inspiration and history. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Lovely. (Picture book. 46)
HOW DO DINOSAURS LEARN TO BE KIND?
Yolen, Jane Illus. by Mark Teague Scholastic (48 pp.) $18.99 | Jan. 3, 2023 978-1-338-82720-0
A crash course in dino-manners. Running along accustomed tracks, the latest in this long-running series opens with a set of rhymed rhetorical questions—“How does a dinosaur / learn to be kind? // Does he roar / about everything / that’s on his mind? // Does he ride his bike fast, / making other bikes fall? / Does he then turn around / and just laugh at them all?”—and then switches midcourse with a big “NO!!!” to take a prescriptive tack: “A dinosaur knows / how to be very kind, / and always keeps other / folks firmly in mind.” Teague as usual supplies a cast of specifically identified but wildly outsized and dramatically patterned dinosaurs modeling both mischievous and proper behavior with a multiracial and multigenerational cast of diminutive humans. By specifically highlighting the good feelings that consideration for others brings, this outing sets itself apart, if only by a hair, from previous entries with the same drift, such as How Do Dinosaurs Show Good Manners? (2020), How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends? (2006), and so on. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Evergreen of message, for all its formulaic presentation
being set in stone. (Picture book. 36)
RAINBOW SHOPPING
Zhuang, Qing Holiday House (40 pp.) $18.99 | Feb. 14, 2023 978-0-8234-4977-4
A gray day is brightened by the colors of a Chinatown shopping trip. The only child of a family that has recently emigrated from China to New York City laments that Mom, Dad, and Grandma are always busy working now. But the promise of a family dinner immediately makes the day better. After a long subway ride, Mom and the narrator arrive in Chinatown to pick out the freshest herbs, fruits, and vegetables, fill a bag with black mushrooms, and select a fish, all in vibrant hues. They can’t find everything they want, but back at home, Dad works his “kitchen kung fu,” and soon the table is filled with dishes that are delicious though different from how they would be made in China. After a snuggly evening of family stories, the child dreams that they all “walk together in rainbow rain.” Watercolor textures and comforting colors transform an everyday activity into a joyful adventure. The diversity of Chinatown is depicted with signs in English and Chinese and small, specific setting details. The endpapers are a delightful, collagelike representation of the day’s shopping but also past and present influences in the child’s life. While the concept of “rainbow shopping” doesn’t quite come together, the simple narrative sparkles with gentle humor and reassuring imagery. This day-in-the-life story is a celebration of food as connection, comfort, and inspiration and a way to honor our heritage as we walk into the future. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A culturally specific ode to the cozy deliciousness of food
and family. (Picture book. 37)
board & novelty books
MADELINE’S SEASONS
Dev. by Bemelmans, Ludwig Illus. by Steven Salerno Viking (12 pp.) $8.99 | Feb. 7, 2023 978-0-593-34992-2
Miss Clavel and the iconic “twelve little girls in two straight lines”—including the indomitable Madeline—joyfully experience the seasons. Illustrating the book in the style of Bemelmans’ artwork, Salerno devotes a spread to each season. The girls slip and slide across the ice in winter, then stop and smell the flowers in spring. Madeline takes a dip under the summer sun; later, falling leaves and trees with fiery-red foliage make for a lovely autumnal walk. The book wraps up in a flurry of bedtime preparations as the girls brush their teeth and wipe their faces and bid Miss Clavel goodnight. The illustrations have a crisp, modern, computer-assisted feel. There is plenty to observe and some appealing details—one child’s hat flies off while sledding down a hill. Though there’s nothing groundbreaking here, Madeline is a beloved series, and this is sure to please enthusiasts. Given that Bemelmans’ original books are on the lengthy side, this quick, rhyming board book easily serves as an introduction to the series for toddler readers. The text keeps the pace moving, holding reader interest. Fans of the original stories will smile
at cameos from Madeline’s pal Pepito and her dog, Genevieve. While the main characters are light-skinned, people of color are seen in the background. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Solid board-book fan service. (Board book. 13)
FRIEND
Bishop, Gavin Gecko Press (18 pp.) $12.99 | Feb. 7, 2023 978-1-77657-486-5
You don’t need many words to express emotions. This New Zealand import, featuring a young child and a brown, wide-eyed, blue-collared pooch pal, proves this. The meanings inherent in the minimal text are quite precise. How minimal? One page includes a sentence comprising three words; some pages contain from one to four words. Yet the spare language—some could characterize it as labeling on some pages—carries much weight, and the words are descriptive. This is clearly seen in the simple yet pithy, expressive illustration on each page. For example, note the close, deliberate association between the facial expressions of the dog and/or its tan-skinned, dark-haired guardian when the single words happy, sad, shy, or angry appear. And, for notyet-reading or emergent readers, the concise language serves as a great vocabulary developer, too. Take the word rowdy, for instance—a term likely unfamiliar to the preschool crowd. To extend this book’s learning value, adults could guide listeners to suggest other terms to appropriately describe the artwork. Children would also enjoy making faces in a mirror and then talking about their expressions or creating original drawings and dictating one-word (or more) descriptors. Dog lovers and pet owners will especially relate to this small book about the warm, empathic relationship between a child and a beloved animal. Another background character is depicted with darkbrown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming reminder that friends don’t need to say a lot;
warm hearts and expressions speak volumes. (Board book. 14)
HAPPY EASTER, LITTLE POOKIE
Boynton, Sandra Boynton Bookworks (18 pp.) $6.99 | Jan. 31, 2023 978-1-66592-838-0 Series: Little Pookie
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. 24)
PEEKABOO REX!
Boynton, Sandra Boynton Bookworks (24 pp.) $7.99 | Jan. 3, 2023 978-1-66592-840-3 Series: Boynton on Board
The favorite game of toddlers gets a dino twist.
A large dinosaur tries to outsmart a smaller companion when the duo play peekaboo together. The big dino naïvely believes they won’t be noticed behind or under sundry hiding places, but the little pal always finds their playmate. Young listeners will giggle as the large dino attempts to outwit the little one, but in vain; in every instance, the diminutive, overallsclad dino calls out a triumphant “Peekaboo!” How come? Is it because thin tree trunks and a potted plant can’t conceal the large dino’s frame? Do the big dino’s bold, flower-print shirts stick out a mile? Even when the large dinosaur attempts an aerial hiding place, they discover that ruse doesn’t, ahem, fly, nor does hiding in a crowd wearing a Where’s Waldo?–esque redstriped cap and T-shirt do any good. In a display of good sportsmanship, the big dino concedes at the end the game was fun. The youngest audiences, all of whom will have likely engaged in marathon peekaboo sessions themselves, will undoubtedly scramble to play again. Besides stimulating playtime, this adorable board book, expressed in lilting rhymes, boosts vocabulary development through the use of some common prepositions (behind, in) and adverbs (here, there, everywhere). The illustrations are sweetly engaging; the round cutout on the front cover invites youngsters to play peekaboo games with adult partners and others. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Peek, and you’ll find a rollicking romp here. (Board book. 13)
NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE A Love Poem Your Baby Can See
Brantz, Loryn HarperFestival (22 pp.) $8.99 | Jan. 3, 2023 978-0-06-308635-7
A rhyming board book about caregivers’ adventures with their young child.
“Now that you’re here, / there’s so much we can do.” Two caregivers are shown spending time with their little one, taking a spring walk, blowing bubbles, eating ice cream, and more. The illustrations are largely in black and white, with the color red used as an accent for rosy cheeks, clothing, and flowers and for certain phrases in the text—a design choice that, per the publisher, makes the images easier for babies to see. The story conveys the hopes that new parents have for their little ones and the joys of experiencing life’s simple pleasures through a child’s eyes. However, though the book is aimed at babies, the child in the story is an independently walking, sitting, and eating toddler—a slight disconnect. In reality, this is less a book about things “we can do” and more likely about things we will one day do. Still, though there’s little new here in terms of subject, it’s a tender, visually appealing work. The disjointed lines and thick strokes of the illustrations give them the feel of woodblock prints. Some of the best images use silhouetting and shadow to great effect, like one of an adult and child sharing a book inside a blanket fort. Characters have skin the white of the page. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Familiar board-book territory, but who can resist an ode to
the bond between caregiver and child? (Board book. 02)
LLAMA LLAMA SHAPES
Dev. by Dewdney, Anna Illus. by JT Morrow Viking (14 pp.) $7.99 | Feb. 7, 2023 978-0-593-46509-7 Series: Learning With Llama Llama
Llama Llama and Mama spot different shapes at the farmers market.
Dewdney’s iconic llama stars in this board book, a part of the Learning With Llama Llama series. The story showcases five shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, circles, and stars. Rather than simply showing the shapes and naming them, illustrator Morrow embeds them inside scenes from the farmers market. Each page turn uncovers a different shape. Signage and a shopping bag pop as rectangles, while umbrellas, a slice of watermelon, and the peaks of the tents form triangles. Shapes that appeared on previous pages are visible even as the story progresses, and the final page helps readers revisit and recall shapes they’ve already found. There are plenty of engaging details to keep readers looking, including other animal shoppers, kite-flying, and sudden, surprising rain. The text is concise, and each spread features a simple question inviting participation. This title is more captivating than other shape concept books, especially those that show block-colored shapes without context. Llama Llama’s popularity will make this a hit with fans, and readers looking for substance will find it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An invitation for readers to learn through observation.
(Board book. 13)
I WANT THAT!
Eliot, Hannah Illus. by Ana Sanfelippo Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (14 pp.) $9.99 | Sept. 27, 2022 978-1-66591-199-3
Babies (and readers) decide how to
spend the day.
“These babies have a busy day ahead. Can you figure out what each one wants?” The story continues as readers help the little ones select what to eat, what to wear, what to play with, and more. Each page that poses a question has a wheel that rotates, displaying different options in a selection window. For example, when choosing food, readers can opt for a banana, yogurt, a cookie, cake, or avocado. Because there is a matching selection window on the next page, if the reader chooses a banana, after turning the page, there it sits, partially peeled on the baby’s highchair tray. This gimmick invites participation and encourages an understanding of cause and effect. The term baby is used sans pronouns; the children depicted aren’t gendered, and neither is the clothing they wear or the toys they play with. Depicting round-headed, rosy-cheeked babies who are diverse in skin tone and hairstyle, the illustrations themselves are secondary to the thrill of spinning the wheel. Though the book is about babies, it’s really toddlers who have the fine motor skills to manipulate the wheel and enjoy the changing options.
A fun, choose-your-own-adventure book, toddler style.
(Board book. 13)
THIS LITTLE ENGINEER A Think-and-Do Primer
Holub, Joan Illus. by Daniel Roode Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (26 pp.) $7.99 | Jan. 17, 2023 978-1-66591-208-2 Series: This Little
What can you make?
Little kids with big ideas, imaginations, and aspirations might appreciate this compact book about engineers who accomplished big goals in various fields. Notably, almost all the engineers succinctly profiled herein are women—and, even more notably, women of color, among them Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut; Sangeeta Bhatia, an Indian American
leo, rise and shine!
medical nanotechnologist; and Fei-Fei Li, a Chinese American engineer who specializes in artificial intelligence. The profiled male engineers include Apple whiz Steve Wozniak, electricity genius Nikola Tesla, and Gustave Eiffel, builder of his eponymous tower and designer of the “skeleton inside the Statue of Liberty.” Each scientist has one spread devoted to them, introducing “This little engineer” with a jaunty, clever four-line verse that explains the subject’s work in simple terms and offers a cartoonish, smiling, wide-eyed headshot of the scientist. The facing page colorfully depicts the engineer with a tiny body and enlarged head and describes their accomplishment with one or two explanatory sentences. The author manages to engineer an impressive amount of rudimentary information into a small space, though much of this will likely go over many readers’ heads—despite the board-book format, this content is geared to older readers. Additionally, each profile’s opener, “This little engineer,” reminiscent of “This Little Piggy,” is rather twee. Illustrations are vivid, but engineers’ faces generally aren’t individualized. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This could engineer some future career ambitions. (11 additional engineers, an explanation of different engineer-
ing specialties) (Board book. 47)
HERE COMES SPRING!
Kantor, Susan Illus. by Katya Longhi Little Simon/Simon & Schuster (26 pp.) $7.99 | Jan. 24, 2023 978-1-66591-243-3
Woodland animals celebrate spring in this rhyming board book. Bunnies, squirrels, birds, a fox, and a skunk welcome the change in seasons from winter’s cold to spring’s rebirth. Many of the iconic markers are featured, including daffodils, budding trees, and the green of new growth. The anthropomorphic animals have wide eyes, spring outfits, even glasses and ball caps. They also engage in human activities like picking flowers, catching tadpoles, and making daisy chains. The illustrations feature bright blue hues, soft pinks, and bright yellows, all adding to the glow of growth and the feeling of the world newly warmed. The text reads like a single poem sprawling in pieces across each page. This makes the pace appropriate for very young readers. There are lovely turns of phrase like “exploring tender leaves” and “daffodils of gold.” The end wraps up sweetly as, “like merry robins, // we sing a song to spring,” the animals with mouths open to the sky joined by their tweeting friends. Though there have been plenty of board books about the seasons for this age group, the lilting rhyme and cute critters make this a pleasure to read. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Simple, well-paced rhymes with darling furry friends.
(Board book. 02)
LEO, RISE AND SHINE!
McQuinn, Anna Illus. by Ruth Hearson Charlesbridge (18 pp.) $8.99 | Oct. 11, 2022 978-1-62354-339-6 Series: Leo Can!
Leo, a young brown-skinned boy, awakes from a night of rest, ready to greet the day.
The sun greets Leo (whom readers may recognize from other titles in the series devoted to his daily life), still in bed as his caregiver opens the curtains of the window near his crib. Developmentally appropriate language playfully captures the movement of toddlers, making this exploration of a happy child’s morning appropriate for group read-alouds and lap reads. Leo “shakes awake” with a box of cereal and goes through his morning routine: munching on “crunchies,” sipping “zingy juice,” and brushing his teeth in the mirror alongside a parent shaving. Finally dressed, he is “wide awake and ready for anything.” The short, descriptive sentences, which appear on most pages, describe the world as experienced by toddlers: “The lemon-yellow sun sparkles in”; “Leo has had a big sleep”; he “shimmies into sharp shorts.” Hearson’s gentle illustrations, which use a soft palette of colors dominated by blues and greens, evoke feelings of harmony and depict a trusting and loving relationship between Leo and his caregivers, who appear to be Black. What a joyful morning! (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Reliable storytelling and comforting images make this lat-
est series installment another charmer. (Board book. 03)
I LOVE YOU, LITTLE TRUCK
Miles, David & Stephanie Miles Illus. by Natasha Molins Bushel & Peck Books (24 pp.) $9.99 | Jan. 3, 2023 978-1-63819-083-7
Big Truck reassures Little Truck as
they prepare for bedtime.
As night falls, Little Truck, a small red pickup, poses different scenarios that might make Big Truck’s love waver. Each time, Big Truck explains that their love will never flag. Little Truck asks, “What if I were a big mixing truck? / I might get cemented. / I might get all stuck!” Big Truck replies, “Yes, problems aren’t fun. / But I’ll solve them with you, / each time, one by one.” And so the two continue, Big Truck comforting Little Truck through each concern. In a real tug of the heartstrings, eventually Little Truck wonders what will happen if they are ever apart. Big Truck replies, “there isn’t a distance / …That love cannot reach.” The rhyming text hits just the right rhythm and pace, reading like a lullaby and lending itself well to read-alouds. The illustrations are charming, all soft colors and rounded edges. Big Truck and Little Truck have simple expressions on their windshield faces and wheels that serve as limbs. Like Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s The Runaway Bunny
(1942) and others before it, this is a heartwarming proclamation of love in all its forms between a caregiver and a child. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An irresistible presentation of unconditional love. (Board book. 24)
COUNTDOWN TO EASTER
Illus. by Paprocki, Greg Gibbs Smith (22 pp.) $12.99 | Jan. 17, 2023 978-1-4236-6348-5 Series: Count and Find
In this addition to the Count and Find series, readers are invited to find objects related to Easter hidden in the illustrations.
A diverse group of characters count down the 10 days until Easter. Each double-page spread shows children involved in activities, some more closely associated with the holiday than others: “10 days until Easter and we decorate our Easter tree.” “6 days until Easter and we have a picnic at the park.” Readers are invited to find 10 bunny rabbits, nine bumblebees, eight carrot-shaped cookies, and so on until the day before Easter, when children must find one Easter Bunny. For the spread labeled “3 days until Easter and we go to an Egg Roll,” the illustration appears to depict the White House, which does indeed traditionally hold an Easter Egg Roll. The vivid, candy-colored cartoon illustrations are quite busy, but children should have no difficulty finding the concealed objects and will enjoy the search. Adults wanting to introduce little ones to the holiday may want to supplement this with other resources. The illustrations include a child who uses a wheelchair, several wearing eyeglasses, and one who uses a hearing aid. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sugary confection that will keep children busy in the
lead-up to Easter. (Board book. 23)
GO GREEN! HOME My First Pull-the-Tab Eco Book
Illus. by Pintachan Abrams Appleseed (8 pp.) $9.99 | Jan. 17, 2023 978-1-4197-6101-0 Series: Go Green!
You’re never too young to start thinking green.
Each of the four double-page spreads in this board book includes two to three short sentences that focus on different areas of ecological awareness and a die-cut tab that, when moved, sets off a change of scene. The first turns the lights in a house on and off, the second causes flowers and a cute little worm to emerge from compost, the third turns a faucet off and on, and the fourth transforms a plastic bottle into a recycled sock. The sentences are simple and direct: “Let’s turn off the light. We’re saving energy!” While the intended demographic may not understand the messages just yet, they still serve as excellent reminders for caregivers. And as they grow, little ones may repeat phrases from the book, helping to instill good lessons about, for instance, the big impact of seemingly small actions such as composting. The tabs are sturdy and likely to stand up to life in a busy home or library, so the book will be enjoyed by many for a fair amount of time or by a few for a more extended period. Even if the message isn’t absorbed by young readers, the tab motions, which move in three different directions across the four spreads, will encourage hand-eye coordination.
An eco-winner! (Board book. 12)
THE BABIES AND BUNNIES BOOK
Schindel, John & Molly Woodward Clarion/HarperCollins (28 pp.) $8.99 | Jan. 31, 2023 978-0-06-323923-4
Babies and bunnies have more in common than you might think.
From munching and crunching to spending time outdoors, “lots of things babies do, / bunnies do too.” With rhyming text and bright, crisp photographs of sweet little ones, this board book will delight readers. Each spread features a baby on the verso with a bunny on the recto doing almost the exact same thing—it’s a tight competition for which of the two is more endearing. The children in the images have different skin tones, hair colors, and textures and are presented in various poses and postures. The book is absolutely adorable, but it also encourages comparison practice for little readers. They can observe the ways in which the two images are similar—in one, both subjects are sticking out their tongues—and the ways they are different (the rabbit’s eyes are clearly in a different position than the child’s, and of course the animal is much furrier). Little readers will giggle at the picture of the bunny who is squeaking, mouth wide open, on the same spread as a singing child. And they’ll swoon over the soft, fluffy animal basking in the sun. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Cuteness abounds all around. (Board book. 02)
