Picture This: Shapes

Board books: Picture This: Shapes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:

Dot
The number of dots on a ladybug's wings tells us what type of beetle it is. How many do you count?
Line
Look at the pigeons on the telephone line. Together they take a break from flying in the sky.
Curve
Snakes curve from side to side as they slither along.

Premise/plot: A nonfiction concept board book for young(er) children. The focus this time is on shapes found in nature. Readers are introduced to the following shapes: dot, line, curve, round, triangle, square, rectangle, diamond, oval, semicircle, coil, spiral, crisscross, star, pentagon, hexagon, ball, and trapezoid. These 'shapes' are found in photographs.

Spiral
The chameleon can twirl its tail to grab on to branches. See the spiral as it sits in a tree?

My thoughts: I like this one. I do. I enjoyed it just as much as Homes. Both books are definitely worth seeking out. It's never too early to start sharing good nonfiction titles with your children!

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Picture This: Homes

Board Books: Picture This: Homes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2015. 42 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:

Ant
The weaver ant twists leaves and twigs together with silk thread to make a home.
Spider
This wasp spider spins a web in tall grass, where it rests and catches its food.

Premise/plot: A nonfiction concept book for young(er) children. Readers are introduced to a wide variety of animals and learn where they live. The book is full of photographs of animals and their homes. The book is quite simple in concept, yet, oddly fascinating at the same time. Some animals may prove familiar (polar bear, ant, bee) others may seem more exotic (Fennec fox, eel, village weaver).

My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. I loved looking at the photographs. As I said, I wasn't expecting to find the book fascinating. (Board books, well, they rarely fascinate me. They can make me smile now and then. And now and then even sing.) If you're looking for a nature-themed concept book, this one is worth your time.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Two 2012 Picture Books

And Then It's Spring. Julie Fogliano. Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. 2012. Roaring Brook Press. 32 pages.

First you have brown, all around you have brown 
then there are seeds 
and a wish for rain,
and then it rains
and it is still brown,
but a hopeful, very possible sort of brown,

A little boy is waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting for spring. He's waiting patiently--for the most part--for the seeds he planted to sprout. He's waiting for the world to change from brown to green...

This one is a nice read. I enjoyed the story, really enjoyed some of the writing. And the illustrations are nice. Some of the details are quite nice! For example, following the various animals from spread to spread--the dog, the rabbit, the turtle, etc. And I appreciated how spring came when he wasn't looking for it--looking for it so anxiously that is.

Read And It's Spring

• If you're looking for a picture books about spring, about the changing of the seasons
• If you're looking for picture books about gardening, planting seeds, nature, etc.
• If you're looking for books about patience

Baby Bear Sees Blue. Ashley Wolff. 2012. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.

Deep down in the den, 
Baby Bear wakes up.
He yawns and blinks
and stretches his stubby legs.
In the den's dark wall,
an opening slowly fills with light.
A glow creeps in.
"Who is warming me, Mama?"
asks Baby Bear.
"That is the sun," Mama says.
Baby Bear sees yellow.
At the mouth of the den,
leaves dance on a twig.
"Who is waving to me, Mama?"
asks Baby Bear.
"That is the oak," Mama says.
Baby Bear sees green.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Ashley Wolff's Baby Bear Sees Blue!!!! It may just be one of my favorite, favorite books of the year. Readers meet Mama Bear and Baby Bear. Readers share in the experience as Baby Bear experiences the wonder of the world for the very first time. It's a book that celebrates life, celebrates nature, celebrates beauty, and, of course, showcases COLORS.  (I believe it also does a good job with the five senses.) Baby Bear is very, very curious. He asks his Mama lots of questions; there's a pattern in this one, a use of repetition, which I definitely appreciate. I think children will be able to anticipate and participate in this one--especially after they hear it a time or two.

Loved the writing and the illustrations!!! This is one I'd definitely recommend.

Read Baby Bear Sees Blue

• If you're looking for picture books about spring, about changing of seasons,
• If you're looking for picture books that celebrate nature, beauty of creation/nature
• If you're looking for a concept book about colors
• If you're looking for picture books that celebrate curiosity and the asking of questions
• If you like books about bears

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews