This charming story is as light as air yet carries heft. (Picture book. 2-4)
As a Spanish-speaking giraffe and an English-speaking giraffe meet, they discover friendship has no language barriers.
Two giraffes meet—“Oooh / Aaah”—and find they have much in common. They agree the acacia they nibble on is delicious and that they can share water from the same pond. And as they eat and drink, they get to greet. “Hello? / ¿Hola?” and “Good day! / ¡Buenos días!” lead to “Happy / Feliz” and “Friends? / ¿Amigos?” and a shared, enthusiastic “OK.” Time now to celebrate: “Party! / ¡Fiesta!” And after that? “Nap? / ¿Siesta?” of course! The final two-page spread shows a tangle of balloons and giraffes sharing Zzzzs. Some things indeed are universal. The illustrations by Pura Belpré honoree Dominguez, created with pencil and tissue paper, then digitally colorized, feature the two giraffes in bold outlines and a limited palette of earth tones. Each two-page spread positions the English-speaking giraffe on the left and the Spanish-speaking one on the right, with only one word per page. Standing out against a white background, the giraffes, or parts of the giraffes, are depicted from different perspectives that add movement and nuance to the story. With only 20 words (fewer, really, since most words are just the equivalent word in the opposite language), so much can be said. Astute adult readers could turn it into a language lesson or a conversation on friendship.
This charming story is as light as air yet carries heft. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62779-496-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016
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
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Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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