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ONE MORE TICKLE!

A GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU PUPPET BOOK

This will give readers a case of the giggles, but they won't be rolling on the floor in hysterics.

The lovable hares return for a ticklefest.

Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare are playing in the evening sunshine when the little one asks the larger, "Are you ticklish?" Thus begins an exchange of tickles that will have little ones giggling for sure. The book comes with a decently sized puppet Nutbrown Hare sewn into the back and sticking through the centrally die-cut pages that can be used to tickle little readers, body part by body part, as the pages turn. The only drawback to this book is the puppet, and it pertains only to those with large hands. Meaty-handed adult readers may not be able to fit their hands in the puppet or successfully turn pages without getting their knuckles caught, but those with less-substantial hands will likely be able to pull it off. Even they may find the puppet-and-book apparatus cumbersome enough that they abandon the puppet and just tickle directly, without risking koshing their little ones with the book’s edges. Jeram’s softly toned illustrations return with the Nutbrown Hares, providing a gently amusing background to the tickling.

This will give readers a case of the giggles, but they won't be rolling on the floor in hysterics. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-7636-8819-6

Page Count: 14

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016

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SPOOKY POOKIE

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.

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

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SMILE, POUT-POUT FISH

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.

This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.

Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.

An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8

Page Count: 12

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014

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