The latest in the Tinyville series extends the field of board books about careers.
A smiling and determined mom has a job to do—deliver the mail, whatever the weather. Her first stop is school, where she delivers her children; her final task is reading them a bedtime story. In between, and despite the rain, she cheerfully delivers letters and packages all over a refreshingly multicultural Anytown (our protagonist has brown skin). Her work ethic is shown, not explained. A mustachioed gentleman asks, “Any packages for me today?” to initial disappointment. Three pages later, the expected package is found in the almost-empty mail sack. Back she goes, waving off his thanks matter-of-factly: “It’s my job.” Biggs’ background in comics and advertising is apparent. The mail carrier tells her own story, with conversational speech bubbles used when she interacts with customers. Black-lined illustrations are consistent from page to page, with her purple umbrella providing a contrast to her blue uniform. All but two of the simple pictures span a full spread. Unfortunately, adjacent illustrations collide in one. Apparently, Biggs had more pictures than pages and more information than would fit easily into a 22-page board book. This design flaw is not fatal but suggests an audience of older toddlers and preschoolers rather than babies.
Given the dearth of board books about community helpers, caregivers and libraries will be happy to deliver this Tinyville title to their young readers. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2833-4
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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The Julia Child of the Cookie Monster set sallies into the kitchen afresh.
Returning to form after dishing up disappointing Tacos! (2017), Nieminen pictorially explains step by step how to make chocolate chip cookies, while Oshkosh-clad sous-chef readers can join in using the sturdy volume’s moving parts to rattle a sifter, add an egg and vanilla, fold ingredients until they blend, and pull a tray of sweet treats from the “oven.” A final platter with die-cut cookies to pry up helps bring the experience at least partway from the abstract realm to yummy reality. Now, on to the real ones! Though her art is so simplified that a ¾ cup pile of light brown sugar and ½ cup pile of granulated are the same size and the inclusion among the assembled ingredients of “2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted” probably should come with an advisory note, overall the (uncredited) recipe is feasible, not too fussy about measurements, and, with some attention, perfectly liable to produce the intended result: “Delicious!”
Say the words: “Warm…chocolate chip…cookie.” Oh, heaven. (Informational novelty board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7773-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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Following a stack of Pancakes! (2016), Nieminen dishes up ingredients and instructions for another tasty treat.
Equally suitable for real or imaginary kitchens, this recipe in board-book format begins with geometrically stylized representations of ingredients (“1 teaspoon of sugar,” for instance, is represented by a round-topped white triangle) and required bowls, measuring cups, and other gear. It then goes on to steps for mixing, kneading, and rising the dough, pre-cooking the crust, adding sauce (from a jar) and toppings, and baking until done. Labels and captions identify everything and explain each step in turn. Prospective chefs too young to do the actual cooking can pretend or follow along by using heavy-duty pull tabs to simulate pouring and mixing, then “knead” a smooth plastic pad, set the oven temperature with a geared wheel (and, prompts a safety note, an adult’s help, as “real ovens are hot!”), lift a flap to check the pie, and finally pull out a wedge-shaped slice when it’s finished. “Delicious!”
Like the little bear in Frank Asch’s Pizza (2015), toddlers will be left with an appetite for seconds. And thirds…. (Informational novelty. 2-4)Pub Date: May 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7409-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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