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MAISY'S BUS

Name: MAISY'S BUS
Author: Lucy Cousins
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9406-7

From the Go with Maisy series

by Lucy Cousins ; illustrated by Lucy Cousins ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2017

Another solid, engaging piece from Maisy and Co.

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Mouse Maisy drives a green bus to the beach.

The Go with Maisy series continues with this board book and the concurrently published Maisy’s Sailboat. Both books involve Maisy driving a vehicle and picking up friends along the way. The rounded, die-cut book is unusual and pleasant for little readers to hold, making this an excellent read for car or bus rides (though possibly not when out on a sail). As Maisy drives her bus through her town she picks up Tallulah, Dotty, and other friends described by bold, black, childlike text. The stylized illustrations with a primary color palette fill the double-page–spread illustrations with cute, black-outlined images that will engage young readers, especially fans of the white mouse and her pals. The text offers some vocabulary that’s potentially new to readers. Dotty is “the first passenger”; in the final scene, the text crows that “they’ve arrived!” While neither book is an essential addition to the toddler library, both are agreeable-enough reads.

Another solid, engaging piece from Maisy and Co. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: April 25, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9406-7

Page Count: 18

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: March 14, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS AND OTHER STORIES
by Lucy Cousins ; illustrated by Lucy Cousins

- BOOK REVIEW
MAISY GOES ON A NATURE WALK
by Lucy Cousins ; illustrated by Lucy Cousins

- BOOK REVIEW
A GOOD PLACE
by Lucy Cousins ; illustrated by Lucy Cousins

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SPOOKY POOKIE

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2015

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.

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One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.

It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: July 7, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5

Page Count: 18

Publisher: Robin Corey/Random

Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
HIPPOS REMAIN CALM
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

- BOOK REVIEW
WOO HOO! YOU'RE DOING GREAT!
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

- BOOK REVIEW
HAPPY EASTER, LITTLE POOKIE
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

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LLAMA LLAMA TRICK OR TREAT

From the Llama Llama series

by Anna Dewdney ; illustrated by Anna Dewdney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 19, 2014

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In this board book designed for the littlest llama lovers, adorable-as-ever Llama Llama (Llama Llama Red Pajama, 2005, etc.) gets ready for some Halloween fun.

Dewdney’s characteristic spare, apt rhymes convey a lot of action in effortlessly readable fashion. A charming and simple introduction to Halloween and its associated activities, this title finds little Llama Llama choosing and carving a pumpkin, pouring candy into bowls, picking out a costume and, finally, trick-or-treating. The costume Llama Llama decides to don—pointy teeth and a black mask and cape—is enough to frighten and fool his friends but not readers, who will immediately recognize and smile at the silly little mini-Dracula. With Dewdney’s characters as expressive as ever, young readers will be drawn right into the holiday fun, eagerly anticipating which costume Llama Llama will choose and excited to see him scare his friends and score some candy at trick-or-treat. In the equally appealing companion title, Llama Llama Jingle Bells,the little fellow gets ready for Christmas, baking and decorating some cookies in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. This simple holiday title will win Llama Llama new fans, and old friends will want to add it and its companion to their collections. (Board book. 1-2)