Authors: Margaret Wise Brown.
Board book, 30 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication Date: 1991-09-30


Reviews :

   

In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room--to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one--he says goodnight.

In this classic of modern children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.

...

    Perhaps the perfect children's bedtime book, Goodnight Moon is a short poem of goodnight wishes from a young rabbit preparing for--or attempting to postpone--his own slumber. He says goodnight to every object in sight and within earshot, including the "quiet old lady whispering hush." Clement Hurd's illustrations are simple and effective, alternating between small ink drawings and wide, brightly colored views of the little rabbit's room.

Finding all of the items mentioned throughout the book within the pictures is a good bedtime activity--a reappearing little mouse is particularly pesky. By the end of the little rabbit's goodnight poem, the story has quieted to a whisper, and the drawings have darkened with nightfall. As you turn the last page, you can expect a sleepy smile and at least a yawn or two. (Picture book)...

Authors: Bruce Degen.
Board book, 32 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication Date: 1994-12-30


Reviews :

   

Hatberry
Shoeberry
In my canoeberry
Under the bridge
And over the dam
Looking for berries Berries for jam

They're off...a boy and an endearing, rhyme-spouting bear, who squires him through a fantastic world of berries. And their adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.

Children will want to feast again and again on Bruce Degen's exuberant, colorful pictures and his rollicking, berryful rhymes.

A young boy and a bear joyously romp through the land of berries where there are raspberry rabbits and a brassberry band with elephants skating on strawberry jam! Bruce Degen's exuberant tale, with his equally energetic and vibrant illustrations, is now a quality board book.

1995 "Pick of the Lists" (ABA)...

    Hat and boot in hand, a boy and a bear set off on a delicious and raucous romp through Berryland. They frolic in strawberry fields forever, rumble and ramble in blackberry brambles, and topple their canoeberry with blueberries. Silly rhymes and a musical beat practically beg to be read aloud, preferably accompanied by dancing. New readers will giggle as they follow the fruit-frenzied pals on their berry adventures. Jamberry builds quickly in intensity and complexity, starting with "One berry, Two berry, Pick me a blueberry," and working up to "Raspberry, Jazzberry, Razzmatazzberry, Berryband, Merryband, Jamming in Berryland." Children will love discovering the subtle touches in Bruce Degen's illustrations: a frog climbing out of a hat, crackers and butter instead of lily pads, and a sign by the raspberry skating rink imploring skaters not to pick the jelly rolls planted nearby. Every character seems giddy with well-fed joy in this veritable jamboree of flavorful fun. Jamberry is a book best enjoyed on a gloomy day with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie Coulter...

Authors: Margaret Wise Brown.
Board book, 34 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication Date: 1991-02-27


Reviews :

    Clement Hurd redrew some of his pictures for this new edition of the profoundly comforting story of a bunny’s imaginary game of hide-and-seek and the lovingly steadfast mother who finds him every time.

"Best of the Best" Children's Books 1966–1978 (SLJ)
Outstanding Children's Books of 1972 (NYT)...

    Since its publication in 1942, The Runaway Bunny has never been out of print. Generations of sleepy children and grateful parents have loved the classics of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd, including Goodnight Moon. The Runaway Bunny begins with a young bunny who decides to run away: "'If you run away,' said his mother, 'I will run after you. For you are my little bunny.'" And so begins a delightful, imaginary game of chase. No matter how many forms the little bunny takes--a fish in a stream, a crocus in a hidden garden, a rock on a mountain--his steadfast, adoring, protective mother finds a way of retrieving him. The soothing rhythm of the bunny banter--along with the surreal, dream-like pictures--never fail to infuse young readers with a complete sense of security and peace. For any small child who has toyed with the idea of running away or testing the strength of Mom's love, this old favorite will comfort and reassure. (Baby to preschool)...

Authors: P.D. Eastman.
Board book, 24 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 1997-07-08


Reviews :

    Whether by foot, boat, car, or unicycle, P. D. Eastman's lovable dogs

demonstrate the many ways one can travel. The new text emphasizes the concept

element of the original while maintaining its rhythm and charm.




...

Authors:
Board book, 40 pages
Publisher: Little Simon
Publication Date: 1996-02-01


Reviews :

    The favorite original story about Carl the responsible rottweiler is presented in a sturdy board book edition and follows the adventures shared by the babysitting dog and his infant mistress....

    Alexandra Day's modern classic Good Dog Carl has sold more than 200,000 copies, captivating countless readers with the lovable rottweiler Carl, endearing illustrations, and the tale's surprising silliness. The book begins with the mother saying, "Look after the baby, Carl. I'll be back shortly." Let the adventure begin! Carl looks out the window to make sure Mom is gone. Once the coast is clear, the baby crawls out of the crib and onto Carl's back. First stop? Mom's bed. Second stop? The top of the dresser where powder puffs are sported as hats. The infant--now in Carl's capable paws--slides down the laundry chute, swims in the fish tank, dances, raids the refrigerator, and makes a huge mess. Carl dutifully bathes the baby, cleans up the chaos, puts his charge back in the crib, and plays it cool when Mom comes home. "Good dog, Carl!" she says upon her return. A sweet, subtly absurd picture book that jubilantly illustrates the old adage, "When the cat's away, the mice will play." (Picture book)...

Authors:
Board book, 12 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication Date: 1993-05-27


Reviews :

    Share these familiar shapes with your baby. It is never too early to look and talk together!...

    It's never too early to start kids reading. Even in infancy, young eyes can begin to make connections between images on a page and the real thing. White on Black is an ideal first book, and one that will continue to fascinate the very youngest readers as they grow. Exquisitely simple, solid white pictures of everyday objects--a banana, a duck, a bottle--against a black background provide high contrast for developing eyes. This wordless picture book encourages caregivers to engage the child as they "read" together: "Oh look, a boat, that looks like your bath toy, doesn't it?"

With White on Black's companion book, Black on White, Tana Hoban has created a striking pair of visual tools to increase the youngest readers' burgeoning powers of perception. In this complex world, it's a joy to find a book that sees the world in the simplest of terms. (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie Coulter...

Authors: Jan Brett.
Board book, 36 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: 1996-10-04


Reviews :

    When Nicki loses the mitten that his grandmother had knitted for him, the woodland animals find it and crawl inside, each one larger than the last, but as the mitten stretches and grows, grandmother's knitting holds fast, until a tiny mouse proves to be too much....

    A Ukrainian boy named Nicki wants his grandmother Baba to knit snow-white mittens for him. She warns her grandson that a white mitten will be hard to find if he loses it in the snow, but of course he promptly does just that! What happens next is the surprising part, as a mole takes refuge in the lost mitten, then a rabbit, then a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, and a fox. If you think the mitten might be a wee bit stretched out at this point, just wait: "Then a big bear sniffed at the mitten. The animals were packed in tight, but the bear didn't care. He crawled in anyway." When a tiny mouse squeezes in, her whiskers tickle the bear's nose. He sneezes, and "Aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew!" all the animals fly out of their crocheted cave. As the mitten sails through the air, Nicki spots it, reclaims it, and takes it home to show his smiling Baba.

Jan Brett is the illustrator of many well-known folktales, fairy tales, and poems, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear. Her special signature in her detailed artwork is the intricate borders, seen in this book as birch-bark panels with embroidered details and mitten-shaped vignettes offering additional insights into the story line. Brett is at her best when she illustrates animals, and the expressions on the faces of her creatures are a delight. She carefully researched the costumes, furniture, and house in this traditional Ukrainian tale--all are authentic. A fine story to read on a frosty night with a cup of hot chocolate, and if you ever get your fill of The Mitten, you can always try its delightfully original companion book, The Hat, winner of the 1998 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. (Ages 4 to 8)...

Authors:
Board book, 32 pages
Publisher: Cartwheel
Publication Date: 1997-09-01


Reviews :

    A durable board book edition of the original classic celebrates Clifford's thirty-fifth anniversary and, in the voice of young Emily Elizabeth, celebrates the Big Red Dog's foibles and misadventures."...

    Emily Elizabeth has a big red dog--the biggest, reddest dog on her street, and his name is Clifford. How big is he? He's so big that when he runs after cars, he catches them in his mouth, and his doghouse is bigger than Emily Elizabeth's house. Needless to say, he makes an excellent watchdog. Children love the idea of the things you could do and the fun you could have with a giant dog, and Norman Bridwell's delightful, Clifford-proof board-book edition will not disappoint. (Baby to preschool)...

Authors: Edith Kunhardt.
Board book, pages
Publisher: Golden Books Publishing Company
Publication Date: 1994-11
Edition: Board Book

Reviews :

    For over 50 years, Pat the Bunny has held a special place as Baby's First Book...and as a perennial bestseller. Since its first publication in 1940, Pat the Bunny has sold over 6 million copies, making it the number 6 all- time bestselling children's hardcover book*. Play along with Paul and Judy as they smell the flowers, look in the mirror, play peek-a-boo, and, of course, pat the bunny.

*Publisher's Weekly, 2/5/96...

    "Judy can pat the bunny. Now YOU pat the bunny." Sound familiar? Pat the Bunny is a part of childhood, as soothing as cocoa and animal crackers. Dorothy Kunhardt's interactive book for babies and toddlers was one of the first of its kind when it was published in 1940, and it has since sold over six million copies. We pat the soft fur of the bunny, play peek-a-boo, look in the mirror, and then do it all over again. (And again and again and again.) After you Pat the Bunny with your baby, why not Pat the Cat and Pat the Dog? These two sequels were written by Edith Kunhardt, the daughter of the author of the original book. Both use the same tried-and-true Pat the Bunny format: sturdy cardboard pages with eight activities that wee ones can explore, from sniffing some brownies, to squeaking a teddy bear, to unfastening Grandma's tennis shoe. The simple line drawings and pastel colors don't do much for adults, but somehow they are just right for babies. This boxed set is a fine choice for a baby gift or first birthday present, and a lifesaver on a long car trip. (Baby to preschool) --Marcie Bovetz ...

Authors: Iona Opie.
Board book, 16 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication Date: 1997-11-03
Edition: Brdbk

Reviews :

    These four bright board books, based on My Very First Mother Goose, the award-winning classic, bring the timeless rhymes to the youngest children in a user-friendly format featuring large letters, a generous page size, and sturdy board pages. Full color....

    Good news for babies everywhere! Literature and lore expert Iona Opie and the indomitable Rosemary Wells have teamed up to create a series of Mother Goose books in a sturdy, cardboard-paged, gnaw-proof format. In Humpty Dumpty and Other Rhymes, eight favorite rhymes are delightfully illustrated, from "Humpty Dumpty" to "Little Jack Horner." Wells comes through again with adorable, expressive bunnies and shyly smiling mice. Larger (and more charmingly illustrated) than many board books, this whole star-studded Mother Goose series is guaranteed to delight your favorite little one. (Baby to preschool)...