Friday, August 17, 2012

Four More 2012 Board Books

My Turtle and Me. Owen Berstein. Illustrated by Carol Thompson. 2012. Scholastic. 10 pages.

My turtle goes everywhere with me. And I go everywhere with my turtle. My turtle lights up when we're together! My turtle goes down the slide with me. And he's right by my side when I play in the sandbox. My turtle shines when we play! 

A book written to be companion to a popular toy nightlight. Cloud b is the maker/creator of a constellation nightlight--originally available as a turtle, I believe it now comes as a ladybug too. Both according to product descriptions, shine the constellations onto a child's ceiling. This little boy seems to enjoy his turtle-nightlight-toy all throughout the day.

As a book, this one didn't wow me. The text doesn't seem to me to have rhythm or natural flow. The sentences also don't seem to work together as one narrative. For readers who have turtles of their own, this one may prove satisfying.

Let's Get Dressed. Caroline Jayne Church. 2012. Scholastic. 10 pages.

First we need a brand-new pair of super-duper underwear. 
For our top, what will work? Head and arms through our best shirt!
Our silly legs love to dance in our comfy dancing pants!

This little one is becoming more independent. Learning to get dressed! The illustrations are super-cute, and the text is short and simple.

Dinosaurs: A Prehistoric Touch-and-feel adventure! Jeffrey Burton. Illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello. 2012. Scholastic. 12 pages.

Long neck...stretches! Strong legs stomp,
Short arms wave, but sharp teeth chomp!

Fuzzy fur, bumpy scales,

feathery wings, and spiky tails!

For little dinosaur lovers this board book may charm. The text rhymes, for the most part, and the book incorporates several interactive elements. Many of the dinosaurs have textured skin to feel, for example.

God is Good...All the Time. Dr. Margi McCombs. Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov. 2012. Scholastic. 20 pages.

God makes flowers in pink and blue to show his love from me to you.
God is good...all the time!
God sees the kitten way up high and sends some friends who hear her cry.
God is good...all the time!
God gives us friends to have some fun--to show his love to everyone.
God is good...all the time!

I am always, always looking for Christian books to recommend to families, and I'm happy to have found God Is Good All The Time. The book is simple, sweet, and lovely. I just love the refrain! The rhyming text improves, I feel, as the book goes on. (I admit that the first sentence isn't amazing and wonderful.) By the end, it was definitely working for me!

This one is also available in Spanish.


© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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