nursery rhymes

Three Little Kittens

| Tasha

three little kittens

Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney

Caldecott medalist, Pinkney, has created a picture book version of the beloved nursery rhyme.  Pinkney stays true to the original version of the rhyme.  His illustrations offer a realistic and detailed depiction of the rhyme, offering a jaunty tone that works very well here.  The mother cat is fully clothed in a dress while the kittens romp in collars only, allowing them to act more like cats while they play.  The small details in the illustrations are delightful.  The kittens play with a mouse jack-in-the-box and a mouse doll.  Meanwhile real mice peek around a corner.  The birds outside also have scarves and hats, echoing the anthropomorphized cats nicely.

Pinkney has made this a great autumn book by having the cats frolic in fallen leaves.  In fact, the leaves are what hide the mittens from view when they lose them.  When the cats head back to find their mittens, they find them just where they left them, as young readers will enjoy remembering.  The playful kittens have detailed fur that is lush, fuzzy and fine.  All three having different colored coats make for dynamic and appealing pictures.

A lovely take on a classic rhyme, this book will be welcomed to library and classroom shelves as another great picture book by a master.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

You can also check out this video of Jerry Pinkney talking about creating the book:

Jerry Pinkney and Three Little Kittens
Enhanced by Zemanta

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.

Red Green Blue

| Tasha

Red Green Blue: A First Book of Colors by Alison Jay

On a rainy day, a little boy escapes into a world of nursery rhymes that is filled with a rainbow of colors.  He moves past icons of nursery rhymes like Little Boy Blue, Miss Muffet and her big black spider, Bo Peep’s white sheep, and five pink piggies.  Keep a sharp eye out for other nursery rhyme characters in the background, because there’s a list at the end of the book to see if you spotted them.  Told in a style that only Alison Jay could achieve with her vintage, crackling illustrations that maintain a modern energy, this book is sure to be a winner with preschoolers.

Jay has such a distinct and unique style that you can spot her books from afar.  Just as she has with counting books and alphabet books, Jay has once again captured the timelessness of childhood here.  Her exceptional illustrations bring energy and fun to the simple text which focuses on colors and characters.  It is in the illustrations that the world comes to life and there is a depth that makes exploring them ever so much fun.

Make room for this one in your section on colors and in your section on nursery rhymes.  Combining the two is a brilliantly colorful idea.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton.

Also reviewed by On My Bookshelf.