danger

Maybe… by Chris Haughton

| Tasha
Cover image for Maybe…

Maybe… by Chris Haughton (9781536220247)

When the older monkey leaves, they warn the three little monkeys to NOT go down to the mango tree because there are tigers down there. But the little monkeys can’t stop thinking about how much they love mangos. Maybe… they could just head down and look. They see no tigers and a mango close enough to reach. They keep a close look out and quickly grab the mango. Yum! But what happens when they decide to have more mangoes and stop being careful? Tigers!

Haughton’s picture book about naughty and curious monkeys is a great read aloud. The text is made up solely of the monkeys’ dialogue with one another, so make sure you have at least four monkey voices at hand! With simple text, Haughton creates a book full of building tension that also offers a wild chase scene that will have readers merrily gasping along with the monkeys, before a final twist.

As always, Haughton’s illustrations are bold and bright. The deep blue monkeys stand out against the red backgrounds. Their simple and funny faces shine with their emotions as they pursue delicious mangos. The book expands its colors to mango yellow, rich oranges and purple/pink trees.

Gasps, giggles and glee accompany the monkeys on their adventure. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Candlewick.

Review: Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore

| Tasha

lucky ducklings

Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Based on a true story, this book follows the walk of a mother duck and her small ducklings.  They follow her out of the pond, through the grass of the park, and into town.  They ate a bite from the overflowing garbage can and then headed off the curb and over a storm drain.  But while Mama Duck made it over the grate with no problems, her ducklings fell through one by one.  It could have been a sad ending to the story, but it wasn’t!  The people who saw it happened called for help.  It took firemen and someone with a winch on their truck to save all of the ducklings. 

Moore has created a story that has a real appeal.  It is the story of tiny ducklings that at first seems very sweet, then takes a very dangerous turn.  Throughout, she tells the readers that that could have been the end of the story, but it wasn’t.  Using this device, she creates both drama and also the assurance that thing will be alright in the end.  Her writing has repetition that makes it perfect for very young children.  The environmental message is subtle but profound.

Carpenter’s ducks seem to be drawn with a nod to McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings.  The book feels vintage with the small town coming together to save this small family of ducks.  Carpenter celebrates both the natural setting and also the people themselves.  Her use of separated images that form one larger image to name the little ducklings works particularly well. 

Ideal for a duckling story time and perfect for spring, read this one alongside Make Way for Ducklings.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Orchard Books.