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dragonbitebooks's reviews
1040 reviews
Buzz, Buzz, Baby! by Karen Katz
4.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
This lift-a-flap book is all about insects and bugs—perfect the adventurous and outdoorsy child in your family. Katz’s protagonists are not strictly male even though the book is about bugs. Katz’s illustrations and the use of flaps are what really appealed to me in this book. The insects peek out from behind foliage making it easy to see where a child being read too could be prompted for an answer to the questions that the text poses. The colors are bright—as are all of Katz’s. Rhymes help with the rhythm of the text.
This lift-a-flap book is all about insects and bugs—perfect the adventurous and outdoorsy child in your family. Katz’s protagonists are not strictly male even though the book is about bugs. Katz’s illustrations and the use of flaps are what really appealed to me in this book. The insects peek out from behind foliage making it easy to see where a child being read too could be prompted for an answer to the questions that the text poses. The colors are bright—as are all of Katz’s. Rhymes help with the rhythm of the text.
Hold and Touch: Wake Up by Belinda Strong
2.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
This touch-and-feel book didn’t excite me very much. It’s touch-and-feel pages were not much more than a little bit of felt and this was not even on every page. Its plot takes the reader through the routine of waking up. Words are paired so that “wake up” is side by side with “sunshine” (one of its possible causes) and “breakfast” is paired with “yummy” (one of its possible reactions). Some of the illustrations are of anthropomorphized animals acting as a young toddler might, with a colt in a high chair, for example, while some are of animals acting as animals. Each page features a different animal, so the book could be used as a bestiary and will likely provoke exclamations of “horsey!” and “kitty!”
This touch-and-feel book didn’t excite me very much. It’s touch-and-feel pages were not much more than a little bit of felt and this was not even on every page. Its plot takes the reader through the routine of waking up. Words are paired so that “wake up” is side by side with “sunshine” (one of its possible causes) and “breakfast” is paired with “yummy” (one of its possible reactions). Some of the illustrations are of anthropomorphized animals acting as a young toddler might, with a colt in a high chair, for example, while some are of animals acting as animals. Each page features a different animal, so the book could be used as a bestiary and will likely provoke exclamations of “horsey!” and “kitty!”
Disney It's a Small World Hello, World! by Disney Books
2.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
This book has a page for greetings from each of ten languages with a simple illustration for each. Each page includes the proper spelling as well as a phonetic pronunciation in parentheses. That part of the book I enjoyed, but the illustrations propagate cultural stereotypes and that I find rather disheartening. People in Brazil don’t generally go about bare-chested with a necklace of string about their necks. Of this I’m quite sure. Nor do all Irishmen wear green suits with clovers in their green top hats with buckles around the brim.
This book has a page for greetings from each of ten languages with a simple illustration for each. Each page includes the proper spelling as well as a phonetic pronunciation in parentheses. That part of the book I enjoyed, but the illustrations propagate cultural stereotypes and that I find rather disheartening. People in Brazil don’t generally go about bare-chested with a necklace of string about their necks. Of this I’m quite sure. Nor do all Irishmen wear green suits with clovers in their green top hats with buckles around the brim.
Santa!: A Scanimation Picture Book by Rufus Butler Seder
2.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
This scanimation book, while it is still novel to watch the illustrations move as you turn the pages, lacked the message of Gallop, Seder’s first scanimation book. As such, I was underwhelmed. Also it’s very much a book that is stuck within a particular season of the year.
This scanimation book, while it is still novel to watch the illustrations move as you turn the pages, lacked the message of Gallop, Seder’s first scanimation book. As such, I was underwhelmed. Also it’s very much a book that is stuck within a particular season of the year.
Butterfly Kisses by Sandra Magsamen
3.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
This book comes with a finger puppet butterfly for the reader to wear. The book describes the actions and sounds of various animals but reminds readers to stop and listen to the whisper of butterfly wings, a message I really like now and I think I’d like as a parent to impart to children even as a toddler if they might not understand the metaphor then and might think that it means a literal whisper of butterfly wings… which I guess with sonic hearing and a sterile environment it would be possible to hear.
This book comes with a finger puppet butterfly for the reader to wear. The book describes the actions and sounds of various animals but reminds readers to stop and listen to the whisper of butterfly wings, a message I really like now and I think I’d like as a parent to impart to children even as a toddler if they might not understand the metaphor then and might think that it means a literal whisper of butterfly wings… which I guess with sonic hearing and a sterile environment it would be possible to hear.
Girls to the Rescue: The Royal Joust by Bruce Lansky
2.0
This ebook (available free on Barnes & Noble's Nook) is a simple short story (one of an anthology entitled Girls to the Rescue #1) with a reasonably predictable, innocent, and easy plot but respectable prose if not stellar writing. As one of those stories of young girls who defy the male-dominated social structures, it is an important one to read to our young girls. Lindsey rides in a joust in her brother's place. I liked this story better before I started reflecting on it. Reflecting on it, I'm rather disappointed with Lindsey though I should perhaps be more pleased that Lansky avoided the cliche reveal, scandal, and outrage before her acceptance. "The Royal Joust" is intended for middle-grade or elementary-age children.
Spoiler
The only real surprise in this tale is that she does not show her face even when she has won the tournament. She does not seem to defy the system for the sake of her recognition or rebellion (though her earlier dialogue with her brother makes it seem that that is indeed her goal) but rather merely to aid her brother. If she intended to send a message as she states she does, she spoke it softly and to only the one man in the system and her family, who embrace her for her audacity.
Penguin in Love by Salina Yoon
2.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
I loved Penguin and Pinecone. I was a little bit less enthused about this sequel, possibly because it ditched the message of friendship in favor of a romantic storyline that really is not ideal for the audience to which this picture book claims to cater (which, yes, I recognize many of the films for kids of this same age do, but Disney gets something of a buy for having started with fairy tale retellings). Also, here the paraphernalia of knitting is a bit too prominent. It feels forced, forced into the plot and superseding the plot to the detriment of the plot. In the first book, knitting is a background theme, a way to show the passage of time, and a plot device; here it is more than that, too much.
I loved Penguin and Pinecone. I was a little bit less enthused about this sequel, possibly because it ditched the message of friendship in favor of a romantic storyline that really is not ideal for the audience to which this picture book claims to cater (which, yes, I recognize many of the films for kids of this same age do, but Disney gets something of a buy for having started with fairy tale retellings). Also, here the paraphernalia of knitting is a bit too prominent. It feels forced, forced into the plot and superseding the plot to the detriment of the plot. In the first book, knitting is a background theme, a way to show the passage of time, and a plot device; here it is more than that, too much.
Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition by Carol V. Aebersold, Chanda A. Bell
2.0
Originally published on my blog, Nine Pages.
Like The Elf on the Shelf, this book is used to explain a toy more than as a standalone book. The book explains the elves’ birthday traditions and how a child’s elf can with Santa’s help return to the child’s home for the child’s birthday. The elf will decorate a birthday chair for his or her child and watch the events. The elf’s purpose here is more celebratory than policing, and that is a welcome relief from the inherent creepiness of the elf on the shelf’s concept. I thought overall that this was a better book than The Elf on the Shelf, but it was still nothing stellar. I wonder how many children would actually be excited to see their elves some time other than the Christmas season, even donning a costume to look like a cupcake and so distancing themselves from the Christmas season and their regular role as police. I just don’t understand this tradition.
Like The Elf on the Shelf, this book is used to explain a toy more than as a standalone book. The book explains the elves’ birthday traditions and how a child’s elf can with Santa’s help return to the child’s home for the child’s birthday. The elf will decorate a birthday chair for his or her child and watch the events. The elf’s purpose here is more celebratory than policing, and that is a welcome relief from the inherent creepiness of the elf on the shelf’s concept. I thought overall that this was a better book than The Elf on the Shelf, but it was still nothing stellar. I wonder how many children would actually be excited to see their elves some time other than the Christmas season, even donning a costume to look like a cupcake and so distancing themselves from the Christmas season and their regular role as police. I just don’t understand this tradition.