Sharing can be fun, although it may have its limits.
Author/illustrator Leung poses a social and ethical dilemma in this book and a practical problem in the equally charming companion volume, Will Sheep Sleep? Bear has lots to offer, but will she? Consecutive double-page spreads offer a series of questions and answers: “Will Bear share her berries?” / “Yes.” / “Will Bear share her book?” / “Yes.” / “Will Bear share her toothbrush?” / “NO! Toothbrushes are not for sharing.” Bear and her adorable animal pals act out each vignette against lightly textured backgrounds of several different hues. The presentation is uncluttered and pleasing to the eye, and the simply rendered characters have abundant personality. The drama heats up when Bear is asked to share her favorite toy (after due deliberation, she does) and, finally, her ice cream. This, apparently, is where Bear draws her line in the sand, but when her coneful of ice cream lands on the ground, her hungry crocodile friend kindly consoles her. Fortunately, Ladybug comes to the rescue with a large berry cake to be shared by all. As Ladybug, Bear, and friends enjoy the cake, readers are asked, “What do you share?” The final panel, appropriately enough, shows Bear and her alligator friend brushing their teeth together, each with their own toothbrush, of course.
A clear and winning guide to a key social grace; share and repeat as necessary. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-21559-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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Little Blue Truck feels, well, blue when he delivers valentine after valentine but receives nary a one.
His bed overflowing with cards, Blue sets out to deliver a yellow card with purple polka dots and a shiny purple heart to Hen, one with a shiny fuchsia heart to Pig, a big, shiny, red heart-shaped card to Horse, and so on. With each delivery there is an exchange of Beeps from Blue and the appropriate animal sounds from his friends, Blue’s Beeps always set in blue and the animal’s vocalization in a color that matches the card it receives. But as Blue heads home, his deliveries complete, his headlight eyes are sad and his front bumper droops ever so slightly. Blue is therefore surprised (but readers may not be) when he pulls into his garage to be greeted by all his friends with a shiny blue valentine just for him. In this, Blue’s seventh outing, it’s not just the sturdy protagonist that seems to be wilting. Schertle’s verse, usually reliable, stumbles more than once; stanzas such as “But Valentine’s Day / didn’t seem much fun / when he didn’t get cards / from anyone” will cause hitches during read-alouds. The illustrations, done by Joseph in the style of original series collaborator Jill McElmurry, are pleasant enough, but his compositions often feel stiff and forced.
Little Blue Truck keeps on truckin’—but not without some backfires. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Dec. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-27244-1
Page Count: 20
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Wonderful, indeed
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A love song to baby with delightful illustrations to boot.
Sweet but not saccharine and singsong but not forced, Martin’s text is one that will invite rereadings as it affirms parental wishes for children while admirably keeping child readers at its heart. The lines that read “This is the first time / There’s ever been you, / So I wonder what wonderful things / You will do” capture the essence of the picture book and are accompanied by a diverse group of babies and toddlers clad in downright adorable outfits. Other spreads include older kids, too, and pictures expand on the open text to visually interpret the myriad possibilities and hopes for the depicted children. For example, a spread reading “Will you learn how to fly / To find the best view?” shows a bespectacled, school-aged girl on a swing soaring through an empty white background. This is just one spread in which Martin’s fearless embrace of the white of the page serves her well. Throughout the book, she maintains a keen balance of layout choices, and surprising details—zebras on the wallpaper behind a father cradling his child, a rock-’n’-roll band of mice paralleling the children’s own band called “The Missing Teeth”—add visual interest and gentle humor. An ideal title for the baby-shower gift bag and for any nursery bookshelf or lap-sit storytime.
Wonderful, indeed . (Picture book. 1-4)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-37671-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 6, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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