Board Books

Book Reviews–Bunches of Board Books- The First Bunch

| Tasha

onetwobuckle

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Salina Yoon

Yoon take the traditional rhyme and enlivens it with strong graphical images.  The holes in the pages let readers look through either way, making turning pages a delight as you see different ways to look at the same thing.  The rhyme and interesting illustrations make this an appealing choice.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

rockettown

Rocket Town by Bob Logan

A board book filled with rockets and enough humor to keep adults entertained as well.  The real treat here are the illustrations which have a great 60s vintage vibe that is playful and welcome.  Logan also plays with color as the book pages turn.  If you have a child into trucks and trains, give rockets a try!

Reviewed from copy received from Sourcebooks.

whosintheforest

Who’s in the Forest? by Phillis Gershator, illustrated by Jill McDonald

Peek through the holes in the pages to see who you can see in the forest.  The mixed media collage illustrations are whimsical and charming.  From the various patterns that make up leaves and sky to the smaller details of acorn caps and bird wings, there is so much for the eye to look at here.  The rhyming text combined with the holes in the pages will appeal to little ones.

Reviewed from library copy.

Book Reviews–Clackers Board Books

| Tasha

monkeyclacker clackercroc

Clackers: Monkey by Luana Rinaldo

Clackers: Crocodile by Luana Rinaldo

Looking for a great book to give to a new baby?  Take a look at Clackers.  They are board books with super thick pages (could I even suggest that the foam core of the pages would be ideal for little teethers?) Plus they have a handle.  If shaken by the handle, the books make a clacking noise as the pages bounce together.  So these are both books and toys.

Each book has a simple story.  Monkey’s story is about the noises Monkey hears as he swings through the jungles.  The story is filled with enough sounds to make it very fun for little ones.  Crocodile has an equally appealing story with a peek-a-boo theme as Crocodile searches for her mother.  The art of the books is simple and colorful, just right for the audience.

A pair of adorable, fun and functional books for the smallest of readers, these are sure to be thrown, chewed, and shaken by little hands.  Appropriate for infants through toddlers.

Reviewed from copies received from Macmillan Publishers.

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Nosh, Schlep, Schluff

| Tasha

noshschlep

Nosh, Schlep, Schluff: BabYiddish by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

Follow a busy toddler through his day and read rhymes that are sprinkled with Yiddish.  From preschool to the playground and back home again, there is plenty to keep a little boy and his toy frog busy.  Along the way, children and adults will realize how much of what they say is Yiddish.  Snyder’s rhymes are clever and bouncy, perfect for a board book for the youngest listeners.  Beeke’s illustrations are bright colored and always focused on the child. 

This little gem of a board book will have universal appeal unless you are feeling particularly kvetchy.  Appropriate for ages 2-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

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Holiday Picks with Lots of Kid Appeal

| Tasha

Two Christmas books and one Hanukkah title are my first picks for holiday titles this year.

hills christmas

Duck & Goose: It’s Time for Christmas by Tad Hills

Another winner from Duck & Goose, this board book takes a quietly funny approach to the holidays.  Duck is in a hurry to get somewhere, but Goose wants to linger a bit.  Goose wants to catch snowflakes, slide down hills, build a snow fort, and much more.  It isn’t until the very end of the book that readers learn where Duck was headed in such a hurry.  The illustrations are clever and very inviting, especially to fans of other Duck and Goose books.  The gentle humor and great friendship is exactly what we have come to expect from Hills.  With its short text and board pages, this book will appeal most to children aged 1-3.

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It’s Christmas David! by David Shannon

Around Christmas time, everyone always said, “No David!” whenever he tried to do anything!  No peeking at presents, no stealing cookies, no playing with ornaments, no opening presents early.  And then he also had to be patient in lines, be polite at the dinner table, and go to sleep on time.  Of course, David does get into some funny trouble in the book with a reprise of one of the most popular scenes from an earlier David book that is sure to delight young readers.  A grand and very funny look at the holidays that children are sure to relate to.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

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Hanukkah: a Counting Book by Emily Sper

This was a favorite picture book of mine a few years ago, and it is a real joy to see it released as a board book.  The thick board pages work beautifully with the cut outs of the candles.  Turning each page leads to another candle being added to the menorah.  Each page features text in English, Yiddish and Hebrew.  Children can count the candles and also another object related to the holiday.  Young listeners will enjoy the bright colors and simplicity of the book.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

All books are reviewed from books received from the publishers.

Baby Baby Baby!

| Tasha

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Baby Baby Baby! by Marilyn Janovitz

A board book filled with a jaunty rhythm and fun rhymes, this is a book that the littlest ones are going to love (and so will their grown ups!)  The book starts with action and movement, like clapping hands, dancing feet, and crawling away.  It then moves into preparation for bedtime with a bubbly bath, laughs, and some peek-a-boo.  Oh, and a little chasing of the cat too.  Then it slows down into hugs, sleeping and kisses.

Though the rhythm stays the same all the way through, it can be read with plenty of action and then moves gracefully into the quieter moments.  The verse is engaging and fun, matching well with the illustrations which are filled with color and pattern.  Plenty of bright colors also transition at the end to more pastels, making the quiet part that much more soothing.

A very cute board book to share with a toddler or baby story time or to have at home to enjoy again and again.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Sourcebooks.

Annie Kubler Board Books

| Tasha

Hop a Little, Jump a Little by Annie Kubler

Humpty Dumpty by Annie Kubler

Pat-a-Cake by Annie Kubler

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat by Annie Kubler

A very friendly new collection of board books from Annie Kubler, these books offer one nursery rhyme in each volume.  The child characters are appealing with their large round heads, active hands and feet, and rather jolly feel.  The children are multi-ethnic adding to the appeal of the volumes.  Kubler presents each nursery rhyme simply and successfully.  She does not adorn the verse or change it from the original, rather these are modern versions of the classics.

Recommended for libraries and families, this set would make a great new baby present to get those little ones growing up with nursery rhymes.  Appropriate for ages 0-2.

Reviewed from copies received from Child’s Play.

Magic Below Stairs

| Tasha

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer

Half of the duo that created the Sorcery & Cecelia series returns with this story of a young man working in wizard Thomas Schofield’s household.  Frederick was selected from the orphanage he lived in when he fit the last boy’s livery perfectly.  That alone is odd, since the boy was much larger than Frederick.  Frederick had also completed an impossible task, despite falling asleep during it, thanks to a strange little man who Frederick thought may have just been a dream.  Frederick is a very hardworking, dedicated boy who took to his new job as a servant easily.  But working in a wizard’s household brings some strange happenings, some of which may be Frederick’s fault, or the fault of the brownie Billy Bly who followed him there.

A delightful read filled with small details that really bring the Victorian period to life.  Frederick is a very  unique young protagonist with his love of details and dedication to working hard for the sake of doing a good job.  Frederick starts the book focused solely on having escaped the orphanage and happy with his lot.  It isn’t until he realizes that there is more that can be attained that he starts to seek more.  It is a pleasure to read a book about someone happy with who and where they are, but also able to move forward when possible.  Stevermer has balanced this aspect of the book perfectly.  Frederick is surrounded by characters that fans of the original series will recognize, but this is a book for younger readers who will enjoy it without having read any of the previous books. 

Stevermer offers a book that is well-paced with plenty of action, but also periods where the details of Frederick’s work and life can be seen.  Her setting is very strong, brought to life via small details rather than long paragraphs of description.  Her prose is friendly and inviting, making the book difficult to put down as the action soars.

A jaunty, fun read filled with plenty of action and magic, this book is appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Also reviewed by:

New Board Books

| Tasha

Rosemary Wells continues her series of Baby Max and Ruby books with Counting Peas and Love.  With just enough texture on the page to make them engaging without being intrusive, these books are clever, sweet and funny.  In Counting Peas, Max sneezes peas all over.  He puts them in his shoe, but eventually is distracted away from his peas by strawberries!  In Love, readers see the family that surrounds and takes care of Max.  But who does he love best of all?

Another pair of great board books come from Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin and feature the beloved characters from Click, Clack, Moo.  In Click, Clack, 123, one farmer is fast asleep and so the animals get into all sorts of mischief which is counted along to.  Nicely, the numbers support the story rather than getting in the way.  In Click, Clack, ABC, the animals are heading off for some fun which isn’t revealed until the ending.  The rhyming here is well done and adds to the speed and romping style of the book.

Reviewed from copies received from publishers.

Board Books for Cool Babies

| Tasha

Rocker Babies Wear Jeans by Michelle Sinclair Colman, illustrations by Nathalie Dion

Part of the Urban Babies Wear Black series, I consider this one of the best of that group.  Perfect for hip parents who want to raise a little rocker, this book is filled with humor and puns.  Favorite lines are “Rocker babies shake their booties” and “Rocker babies do jam sessions.”  Both showing babies doing very normal baby things.  A winning entry in a popular series.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

 

Yum Yum, Baby Bundt by Jamie Harper

This board book opens with a charming recipe for lunch that combines 1 hungry baby, 1 washable bib, 1 highchair, toys, and then the lunch itself and all of the plates, sippy cup, etc.  The book then moves into more of a narrative story where a helpful big sister gets her younger sibling through a meal of pasta, veggies, fruit and cookies.  The story is told briefly with the humor added through the illustrations.  A recipe for a great read, this book is a gem because of the positive relationship it shows between siblings.

Reviewed from library copy.