Day: July 23, 2015

Review: Dad’s First Day by Mike Wohnoutka

| Tasha

Dads First Day by Mike Wohnoutka

Dad’s First Day by Mike Wohnoutka (InfoSoup)

Oliver and his dad have had a great summer together, playing and doing so much. Now it’s time for Oliver to start school for the first time. Oliver is all ready and excited to go. But that first morning, Dad’s stomach starts to hurt. He’s nervous and when it’s time to leave the house he even hides from Oliver. But Oliver manages to get his dad to the car, though he drives to school very slowly. Once there, Oliver happily joins the class but his father starts to cry when it’s time for him to leave Oliver in school. Back home, Dad thinks a lot about Oliver and heads off to school to check on him. Through the door, he sees Oliver happily participating in class and realizes that they are both ready for school after all.

Wohnoutka takes the first day of school jitters and turns them on their head with this cheery picture book. The father in the book acts just like a child at times, adding to the broad humor in the book. Most of the time though parents will recognize their own feelings about a child entering school for the first time. It’s a great title to have conversations about how you and your child are feeling about school and the fact that you will both miss one another even when you are both ready to start school.

The illustrations are approachable and have a cartoony appeal. Dad in particular is a wonderful rendition of a middle-aged father. There is cause for celebration when you have a back-to-school book focused on a father who takes care of his child and then also cares so emotionally as well. The illustrations amp up the emotions and then take a humorous approach to keep the book sunny and silly.

A back-to-school book for the entire family, parents too, this picture book will have families laughing even as the first day of school approaches. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Bloomsbury.

Review: Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds by Marianne Dubuc

| Tasha

Mr Postmouses Rounds by Marianne Dubuc

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds by Marianne Dubuc

Released August 1, 2015.

On Monday morning, Mr. Postmouse loads up his wagon to delivery the mail. He goes from one home to the next, delivering packages that suit the needs of each recipient. There is a huge carrot-shaped package for the rabbits, nuts for Mr. Squirrel, a fancy shovel for Mrs. Mole, and some sweets for the ants. Each animal has a unique home from the long, long home filled with heat lamps for Mr. Snake to the watery home of the crocodiles and the underwater home of Mrs. Octopus. Each animal has a habitat and a space that is filled with details that children will love to take a close look at. This engaging look at the postal system is also a beginning way to talk about animals and their homes.

This French Canadian import has limited text, offering just enough to identify the animals and contents of some of their packages. The real delight here are the illustrations, filled with whimsy and detail, they offer a glimpse into a storybook world of animals and their homes. Drawn with fine lines, the illustrations have all of the detail of Richard Scarry with a modern feel. There are stories within the larger one, where a bird is wanted for theft, pigs are saving sheep from the wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks appear.

This is a book to sit and pore over, enjoying the details and making up stories about the homes that you can see inside. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.