SPRING BOARD BOOK ROUND-UP
New Books in a Series
Anon. Tiny Tab books. Illus. by Janine Ho. Nosy Crow, 01/2022. [8p.] $8.99 each.
Little Chick Looks for the Easter Bunny. 978-1-5362-2009-4.
Puppy Finds the Perfect Hug. 978-1-5362-2010-0.
In each of these simple stories, the title character is looking for something (Easter eggs, a hug), which the reader finds when they pull the sturdy cardboard tabs. Both feature animals in human clothing living in houses. Not much of a story, but these should hold up to library circulation.
Anon. Where’s the Polar Bear? Illus. by Ingela P. Arrhenius. Nosy Crow, 09/2021. Where’s the… series. [10p.] $8.99. 978-1-5362-2011-7.
With more than 20 books in this series, there are no new ideas here. Each spread features an arctic animal hidden behind a felt cloth flap, with a mirror on the final page. Although the bold graphic artwork is pleasant, most libraries will not need this addition to the series.
Cousins, Lucy. Hello, Little Fish! A Mirror Book. Candlewick, 10/2021. Little Fish series. [12p.] $8.99. 978-1-5362-2220-3.
Cousins’ bright cartoon artwork is inviting, but there is not much of a story here. Little Fish greets other ocean fish using a rhyming text, including the reader who can see themselves in the mylar mirror on the final page. Serviceable but not memorable.
Davies, Benji. Bizzy Bear Pizza Chef. Nosy Crow, 11/2021. Bizzy Bear series. [8p.] $7.99. 978-1-5362-2007-0.
In this rhyming story with repetition, the title character makes pizza. The sturdy tabs and wheels show Bizzy Bear making the pizza and delivering it to friends; a nice addition to the series that should hold up to library circulation.
Guillain, Adam and Charlotte. I’m Thinking of… series. Illus. by Lucia Gaggioti. Nosy Crow, 02/2022. [8p.] $9.99 each.
I’m Thinking of a Farm Animal. 978-1-5362-2017-9.
I’m Thinking of a Jungle Animal. 978-1-5362-2016-2.
Children of various races/cultures think of a farm or jungle animal, describing but not naming it using a two-line rhyme. The reader can guess and then see it revealed on the facing page by pulling a sturdy tab. With only four spreads, this is a good idea but could use more content. Still, these should be popular.
Larocca, Rajani. Now! (Barks Dog). Illus. by Greg Paprocki. Charlesbridge, 06/2022. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Babies series. [20p.] $8.99. 978-1-62354-282-5.
In this colorful book, animals go camping and enjoy making s’mores after learning about patience. The dog is the lead animal, showing the others how to set up camp, and other animals include a moose, rabbit, and fox. A subtle lesson on patience and a great introduction to going camping.
Reid, Camilla. Peekaboo series. Illus. by Ingela P. Arrhenius. Nosy Crow, 11/2021. [8p.] $9.99 each.
Peekaboo Love. 978-1-5362-2020-9.
Peekaboo Moon. 978-1-5362-2275-3.
Using a very brief, repetitive rhyming text, these books describe the title concept: “Peekaboo ticktock. Peekaboo night. Peekaboo bottle. Peekaboo light.” The bold full color graphic artwork shows what the text describes, using sliders to reveal items being described. The final page has a slider that reveals a mylar mirror when it is pulled. Although this is appropriate for babies, it is not particularly memorable. The sliders are sturdy and should hold up well to many users.
Wheeler, Lisa. My First Dino series. Illus. by Barry Gott. Carolrhoda, 02/2022. [10p.] $7.99 each.
My First Dino-Baseball. 978-72844-614-1
My First Dino-Soccer. 978-1-72844-615-8.
Using artwork taken from the Dino-sports picture book series by Wheeler, these short, simple board books describe dinosaurs playing the sport mentioned in the title. The text is very brief, with short rhymes: “Soccer ball. Shorts and cleats. Dino-jerseys. Kicking feet.” The original picture books with longer stories are preferable to these.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool
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