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WORK TITLE: Little Bug on the Move
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CITY: Paris
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COUNTRY: France
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PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2018, review of Touch and Explore: Vehicles; July 1, 2018, review of Matching Game Book: Animals; January 1, 2019, review of Where Are You, Teddy?; January 15, 2019, review of Who Lives Where?; January 1, 2019, review of Matching Game Book: Bugs and Other Little Creatures; February 15, 2019, review of Touch and Explore: Construction; February 15, 2019, review of Body; May 15, 2019, review of Ha-ha! Made You Laugh!: Includes 10 Big and Funny Flaps; September 15, 2019, review of Boo! Scared You!: Includes 10 Big and Scary Flaps; September 15, 2019, review of Zoom! Matching Game Book: 4 Activities in 1!; January 15, 2020, review of Miki Takes a Bath; January 15, 2020, review of Whose Baby Is This?; February 15, 2020, review of Colors Matching Game Book: 4 Activities in 1!; December 15, 2020, review of Who Does What?; February 15, 2021, review of Miki Gets Dressed; March 15, 2021, review of Matching Game Book: Bugs and Other Little Creatures; May 15, 2021, review of Little Big on the Move.
Stéphanie Babin is an author of books for young children, particularly nonfiction and interactive titles. She lives in Paris, France.
Babin, Stephanie VEHICLES Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $14.99 5, 1 ISBN: 978-2-74599-549-0
Tactile elements and lots of things that drive, sail, or fly are the selling points in this information-heavy guide to the world of transportation.
An ethnically diverse cast of cartoon characters employ a variety of conveyances whose operation, use, or features are explained in the text. Every page but one includes folding flaps or textured surfaces to engage the hands and imaginations of young readers. The book is fairly sturdy, but the flaps can rip. The dense text is clearly aimed at children who can already name different vehicles and are ready for new vocabulary describing features and functionality: "The vertical stabilizer helps the airplane fly straight," for example. Some children may lack the focus to sit through all of the text, but there is plenty here to interest those with shorter attention spans, too. Featured vehicles include bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, cars, buses, subways, trains, trucks, planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, ships, boats, and race cars. Children can lift flaps to look inside the cockpit of a plane and the luggage compartment of a bus, peel back a tarp to view the cargo of a semi, and tug on a firehose at the scene of a fire. Caregivers should be ready to reassure children about the woman in the burning building and a race car that bursts into flames.
Lots to touch and look at and a good vocabulary builder to boot. (Board book. 2-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Babin, Stephanie: VEHICLES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A544637756/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5f64d9af. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie ANIMALS Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $14.99 5, 1 ISBN: 978-2-74599-548-3
In this game-based book, readers play matching and look-and-find games featuring animals in various habitats.
This book version of the traditional matching game involving playing cards invites readers to find animal pairs, play I Spy, and seek-and-find. Every two-page spread features animals that live in the same habitat: forest, savanna, ocean, polar ice, and field. The left side of each layout features Mercier's cartoon-cute illustrations of the animals, while the right side shows some of those same animals hidden behind sliding squares. These squares are an unusual inclusion in a board book and provide great motor-skill practice for little readers. Each habitat includes four activity prompts. While "Find a Pair" and "Look and Find" are nearly identical throughout, "Time to Hide" and "I Spy" are tailored to the specific featured animals. The "I Spy" questions do engage readers' thinking around such concepts as aboveground/underground and colors; however, as a set, the prompts are formulaic and predictable. On the up side, featured animals include the familiar (elephant, squirrel, butterfly) alongside those that may be new to readers (musk ox, moray eel, pangolin), and the structure of the book allows readers to explore and utilize it in ways beyond the obvious.
While it suffers from redundancy of form, the gamelike structure makes this book a nifty choice for engaging young readers during travel or at a restaurant. (Board book. 2-4)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Babin, Stephanie: ANIMALS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A544637753/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=88bdd7d5. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie WHERE ARE YOU, TEDDY? Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Fiction) $11.99 10, 2 ISBN: 978-2-40800-434-7
This book's peekaboo-inspired design is charming--and delicate.
This lovely board book gets big points for inventive design and one demerit for its use of flimsy stock for the fold-a-flap elements. Grabby youngsters could quickly deprive Teddy of a limb, or at least of a hiding place. That said, the artwork and design are irresistible, and a well-supervised child should get many rewarding readings out of a copy of this book. The action unfolds, pun intended, in a series of two-page vignettes. Each set piece starts with the titular question. The answers, revealed by unfolding each sequence's corresponding flaps, include "Here I am," as Teddy's arms are folded down to reveal his eyes in classic peekaboo fashion; "Under the umbrella with Daddy"; "Under the covers with Mommy"; "In the box, with all the toys"; and the climactic "Look, I'm right here with you," as the accompanying flap reveals Teddy holding a mirror to reflect his young readers. There are a few surprises along the way--one stack of blocks conceals not Teddy but a robot friend; Teddy is hiding behind the other stack. Better still, one two-page spread has not one but three flaps to unfold, but Teddy isn't behind any of them. The call-and-response format encourages vocabulary-building and verbal skills, but late talkers will be delighted as well.
Great fun; potentially brief life span. (Board book. 1-3)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Babin, Stephanie: WHERE ARE YOU, TEDDY?" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A567651448/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b403e01. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie WHO LIVES WHERE? Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $12.99 1, 8 ISBN: 978-2-40800-796-6
Young readers can move small sliders to reveal the home of the animal featured on the outside of the panel.
Each double-page spread features a specific habitat for a collection of creatures, including "In the House," "On the Farm," and "On the Savanna." The verso features a full-page illustration of the landscape with the animals and their homes in their context, each labeled with a short caption containing a clue as to where the animal makes its home. The recto holds six rectangular windows with the featured animals (a bee, a sparrow, an ant, and three more on the "In the Garden" page) with square, easy-to-move sliding panels that reveal their homes (a "hive"--sadly, what's depicted is not a beehive but a wasps' nest--a "birdhouse," and an "anthill leading to underground home," respectively) with a swipe to the left. Kiko's art is eye-catching and flat, employing a soft but fully saturated color palette. There are some nice vocabulary-building opportunities with "rabbit hutch" and the guinea fowl's "shrub," but the project misses an opportunity to introduce youngsters to the eagle's eyrie, instead opting for "nest."
Little fingers may enjoy sliding the panels more than discovering the answers underneath. (Board book. 2-4)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Babin, Stephanie: WHO LIVES WHERE?" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A569224644/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4e437302. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie BUGS AND OTHER LITTLE CREATURES Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $14.99 8, 7 ISBN: 978-2-40800-433-0
Feel a bee's fuzzy body or marvel at holographic butterfly wings in this tactile board book.
Oversized bugs are the center of attention, with body parts and species labelled and a descriptive sentence about the particular characteristics of each one. The book alternates between spreads introducing one insect per page and in-depth double-page spreads. These double spreads are composed of smaller illustrated squares with factoids about the featured insect's habitat or life cycle on the verso with magnified insect on the recto. Though the various tidbits are informative and acquaint older children with entomology-related vocabulary, early learners won't sit through the cumbersome and wordy sentences. Soft-colored digital illustrations strike a nice balance between portraying the creepy-crawlies representationally yet nonthreateningly, although the wasp might remain too realistic for the comfort of many. Tactile elements enrich understanding of bug anatomy, from debossed segments on a grasshopper to a ladybug's puffy wings, while sparkly papers and prismatic highlights capture an insect's natural ostentatiousness, allowing a sentence like "the wings on my back are bright and shiny" to be brought to life with blue-green iridescence. Like insects, this book seems doomed by its fragile binding to a short life span, and a sticky (and out of place) earthworm will soon become as dirty as the real thing.</p Though it isn't built to last, scientifically minded preschoolers will be abuzz over this multisensory board book. (Informational board book. 2-5)
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"Babin, Stephanie: BUGS AND OTHER LITTLE CREATURES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A567651443/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cf450fb9. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie TOUCH AND EXPLORE CONSTRUCTION Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $14.99 1, 8 ISBN: 978-2-40800-794-2
This "hands-on" primer on construction methods and equipment is rich in information and a real vocabulary-builder, as well.
Young hard hats everywhere should appreciate this detailed introduction for kids to some of the basic concepts and tasks involved in constructing the buildings, homes, and cities in which we live. The book is organized in two-page set pieces; the topics covered are "Setting up," "Demolition," "Building a house," "Almost done!," "Building apartments," Building a road," and "Construction sites are everywhere!" A multiracial cast of male- and female-presenting workers employ a variety of trucks, heavy equipment, and safety gear to perform each operation. Tactile elements should help maintain the interest of younger readers; slightly older children will be rewarded with broadened vocabularies and a basic sense of the elements, gear, and teamwork required to create a home. Tactile elements include safety cones with textured stripes, a gritty pile of rubble, heavy-duty dump-truck tires, lumber, sticky wet paint and cement, and more. The artwork, though not particularly stylish, is easily read. Expository text appears in one- and two-sentence increments, scattered around the pages near the action it explains. Vocabulary words appear in boldface. Tradespeople and areas of specialization include masons, electricians, plumbers, and painters. Safety is a recurring theme.
Babin and Becue lay a solid foundation in building concepts with this detailed but not overwhelming book, a French import. (Board book. 2-5)
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"Babin, Stephanie: TOUCH AND EXPLORE CONSTRUCTION." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A573768682/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bc28194f. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie THE HUMAN BODY Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $12.99 3, 5 ISBN: 978-2-40800-850-5
Panels activated by sliding tabs introduce youngsters to the human body.
The information is presented in matter-of-fact narration and captioned, graphically simple art featuring rounded lines, oversized heads and eyes, and muted colors. The sliding panels reveal new scenes on both sides of the page, and arrows on the large tabs indicate the direction to pull them (some tabs work left and right and others up and down). Some of the tabs show only slight changes (a white child reaches for a teddy bear, demonstrating how arms and hands work), while others are much more surprising (a different white child runs to a door and on the other side of the panel is shown sitting on the toilet). The double-page spreads employ broad themes as organizers, such as "Your Body," "Eating Right," and "Taking Care of Your Body." Much of the content is focused on the outside of the body, but one panel does slide to reveal an X-ray image of a skeleton. While there are a few dark brown and amber skin tones, it is mostly white children who appear in the pages to demonstrate body movements, self-care, visiting the doctor, senses, and feelings. The companion volume, Baby Animals, employs the same style of sliding panels to introduce youngsters to little critters and their parents, from baboons to penguins.
Genial starter nonfiction. (Board book. 2-5)
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"Babin, Stephanie: THE HUMAN BODY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A573768681/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c42fc397. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie HA-HA! MADE YOU LAUGH! Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Fiction) $14.99 3, 26 ISBN: 978-2-40800-795-9
Endearingly goofy illustrations and interactive surprises should guarantee giggles for toddlers and caregivers alike.
This book involves young readers in several ways: with invitations to children to make funny faces and stick out their tongues, scratch, tap, or blow kisses, and with flaps that lift to reveal surprise pictures and punchlines (some funny, some eh), each preceded by a bold and hearty "HA-HA!" Whether or not caregivers find any particular setup and denouement uproarious, there's more than enough going on here to maintain their toddlers' infectious enthusiasm and laughter, making this a fun shared read. The illustrations are simple, uncluttered, bright, and colorful, depicting a variety of silly and expressive animal characters. The "HA-HA!" format means the jokes are on readers, who presumably encounter the unexpected (and mostly comical) beneath each flap. More-cynical readers might wonder if this book, though good-natured in intent, is the kindergarten version of "Teasing 101." It's hard for adults not to hear "HA-HA! Made you look!" and a number of other "HA-HA!" taunts in their heads while reading aloud. Of course, preparing children for the inevitable is perhaps not a bad thing; it could even prompt a conversation about knowing when kidding or teasing is lighthearted and funny and when it's not.
Expect plenty of "HA-HA!"s in the home. (Board book. 2-4)
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"Babin, Stephanie: HA-HA! MADE YOU LAUGH!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A585227016/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c14c1d42. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie BOO! SCARED YOU! Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Fiction) $14.99 9, 3 ISBN: 978-2-40801-281-6
This board book introduces an odd mix of caution and mayhem.
The cover proclaims "10 BIG and SCARY FLAPS," but there are actually 11, counting the half-page cover, which hides a witch chasing a wolf, who is scaring a ghost. On the final spread the wolf returns to be scared by a "Boo!" from young readers. In large font, the text invites children to tickle an ogre, knock a witch off her broom, startle an ostrich, etc. Predicting each cartoon creature's response is part of the fun. Will they be happy when the flap is opened? Usually they are scared, not scary. Some adults may balk at suggestions like "Stick your tongue out at the dragon" or "the lion is sleeping. Now's a good time to poke him." In both cases the behavior elicits an angry reception, so youngsters may understand that this was not particularly good advice to follow. The interaction with a seemingly friendly crab is less clear. When that flap is lifted, the crab threatens to pinch. Is the lesson to not trust strangers? Or just to avoid crabs? The reactions are clear in the bright, uncluttered illustrations behind large, easily manipulated flaps. However, the black type is difficult to read when set on the occasional dark, low-contrast background.
A raucous if slightly opaque addition to storytime. (Board book. 1-3)
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"Babin, Stephanie: BOO! SCARED YOU!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A599964346/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=377771a8. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stéphanie ZOOM! Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $14.99 8, 6 ISBN: 978-2-40801-283-0
A large-format board book with sliding, matching-game-style panels featuring things that move on land, sea, and by air.
This one is fodder for young readers who love everything on wheels. As in Babin's Animals, illustrated by Julie Mercier (2018), this book includes a series of panels that allow for a matching game, wherein four sets of matching pairs are hidden behind sliding windows. The left-hand side of each double-page spread shows brightly-colored cartoon animals riding in or on the vehicles while the game is presented on the right-hand side. Each transportation set includes directives for ways to engage with the book ("Can you name and find all the vehicles that are yellow, red, or green?"), but they vary little from page to page and mostly follow the same predictable format. The "In the Sky" page features some unusual modes of transportation such as a hydroplane and paraglider, likely unfamiliar to younger readers (and not included in the matching game). The book provides opportunities to point to and name items, similar to a picture dictionary. It's really less book and more game, which, while entertaining, does become repetitive for adults. It's a good choice for travel and even for keeping little hands busy at a restaurant, because it is really something to play with rather than something to read.
More game than substance. (Board book. 2-4)
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"Babin, Stephanie: ZOOM!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2019, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A599964309/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=679d2be6. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie MIKI TAKES A BATH Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Fiction) $12.99 1, 7 ISBN: 978-2-40801-597-8
An interactive bathtime checklist.
Though more of an intellectual exercise than a practical tool since it's not printed on water-resistant stock, this set of reminders delivers a soapy, splashy agenda just right for newly independent bath-takers. In response to prompts, Miki, a lion cub, first lets water into the tub ("Not too hot, not too cold!"), shampoos his improbably sumptuous mane, methodically soaps up all over, scrubs legs and feet, and finally leaps out in a wild and watery pop-up explosion. In the four cartoon scenes preceding that climax, sliding large tabs back and forth results, mostly, in gratifyingly broad and natural-looking motions. Miki's forepaws massage shampoo through his mane as a rubber duckie bobs in one image; in the next his paws rub soap onto his tummy. Hardenberg's translation (this was originally published in France) is likewise free and easy: "Are you forgetting anything, Miki? Nope! I'll use soap to clean my face. And my arms. And my tummy. And my back. And my bottom." If there's nary a towel or a bath mat in sight, well, maybe lions dry off by running around outside.
No substitute for hands-on instruction, but it's hard to imagine cheerier guidelines. (Pop-up picture book. 3-5)
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"Babin, Stephanie: MIKI TAKES A BATH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A611140289/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=61799554. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie WHOSE BABY IS THIS? Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $12.99 1, 7 ISBN: 978-2-40801-596-1
Some babies look like their parents--but some do not!
In this fetchingly illustrated, slide-the-tab book from France, young readers learn about insects, birds, and animals that inhabit a range of familiar ecosystems, including ponds, forests, meadows, and mountains. On each page, children slide a tab with a labeled picture of a creature early in its life cycle to reveal what the creature will look like as an adult. Babin includes a variety of intuitive choices, such as otters and their pups, as well as less predictable pairs like tadpoles and frogs and dragonflies and larvae. (The "kid" that grows into a "sheep" may raise eyebrows.) The text is cleverly integrated into illustrations of animals, insects, and birds in their habitats and is rendered in the first person, implying that each creature is speaking directly to readers about its habitat, feeding habits, and life cycle. A baby otter, for example, says that it is a good swimmer like its mother; a caterpillar says that when it gets older it will grow wings. Each two-page spread is packed with facts that are perfect for very young naturalists. The use of baby animals as narrators combined with the slide-the-tab design makes this book incredibly inviting to young readers, although the lack of narrative structure may make it challenging for group read-alouds.
An innovative approach to teaching children about ecosystems and life cycles. (Board book. 1-4)
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"Babin, Stephanie: WHOSE BABY IS THIS?" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A611140284/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fd82d380. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie COLORS Twirl/Chronicle (Children's Informational) $16.99 1, 7 ISBN: 978-2-40801-614-2
This French import is a matching game with sliding panels and scenes to play I Spy and other suggested activities.
Each verso presents a busy, colorful scene with animals engaged in human activities around a common theme, with such caption labels as "Vroom" (ground vehicles) or "At the Market." The recto pages feature eight rectangular, easy-to-move sliding panels with one object depicted in four differently colored pairs. Little ones are encouraged to try four different activities with a caregiver: "Find a Pair" (a memory game with the sliding panels), "Look and Find" (a search in the larger scene for the object that's pictured under the sliding panels), "Time to Hide" (hiding pairs of objects by sliding the panels one color at a time), and "I Spy" (naming objects of a particular color). While Mathy's art is whimsically simplified and rendered in muted bold colors, some objects may be difficult for youngsters to name either due to their stylized depictions or readers' unfamiliarity with them; the "spring riders" and the "spinner" (or merry-go-round) on the "At the Park" double-page spread, for instance, may be unfamiliar due to their scarcity on North American playgrounds. There is a wider array of color choices than in many color concept books, including beige, turquoise, and hot pink.
Despite a few foibles, it is a playful choice for toddlers. (Board book. 1-3)
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"Babin, Stephanie: COLORS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A613750833/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d0a7a396. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stephanie WHO DOES WHAT? Twirl/Chronicle (Children's None) $14.99 8, 4 ISBN: 978-2-40801-970-9
Swipe left to find people doing different jobs.
This latest in the Slide-and-Learn series is similar to Who Lives Where? illustrated by Kiko (2019), but focuses on people instead of animals. Six locales are featured: concert hall, studio, city, market, farm, and school. A lot of information is packed into the six one-sentence descriptions of each of the jobs shown in the six vignettes on each spread. The 36 careers highlighted are diverse. Yes, there’s firefighter, but there’s also drummer, fashion designer, optician, and beekeeper. With each job represented by just one worker, gender stereotypes are almost unavoidable. For example, on the “market” page, the butcher, sausage maker, and fishmonger are male presenting, while the baker, pastry chef, and florist are female presenting. Still every spread shows equal numbers of both apparent genders, along with a variety of racial presentations. On each recto page, sliding tiles hide each worker. The game is to use the clues on the left page to guess the career associated with the object shown on each slider. The sliders move easily. In fact, when the book is tilted to the left, all the sliders move left, revealing the answers and spoiling the game. Still, after a few shared readings little people will happily and independently amuse themselves with this book/game.
For active toddlers ready for a reading game. (Board book. 2-4)
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"Babin, Stephanie: WHO DOES WHAT?" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A644766945/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=16e02723. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stéphanie MIKI GETS DRESSED Twirl/Chronicle (Children's None) $12.99 2, 2 ISBN: 978-2-40801-972-3
With help from pull-tabs (but not visible grown-ups), Miki the lion dons trousers, a sweater, and other clothes before going out to play.
The relatively fragile tabs won’t survive more than a few hard yanks, but the motions they create—pulling green pants up, blue sweater down, orange (pre-tied, or perhaps equipped with elastic rather than laces) shoes on, and finally a red raincoat over all—are realistic if abbreviated. (Just let the fact that he starts out with socks and blue boxers already on slide.) It’s all a setup for an exuberant pop-up surprise at the end as Miki heads outdoors to take a wild leap into a rain puddle as a snail benevolently looks on. Budding fashionistas may find more-stylish dressing guides such as Margaret Chodos-Irvine’s Ella Sarah Gets Dressed (2003) or Denise Fleming’s Maggie and Michael Get Dressed (2016) more to their taste, but younger cubs just getting into the swing of doing-it-myself may appreciate these elementally simple hints as well as the unseen voice that keeps Miki on task: “Oh, it’s raining, Miki! We’re going to get soaked!” Miki obligingly replies, “All right, I’ll put on my red raincoat.”
It’s not the sturdiest, but this French import is good for a practice run or two before trying the real thing. (Pop-up picture book. 2-3)
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"Babin, Stephanie: MIKI GETS DRESSED." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A651594779/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3f9eaec8. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stéphanie BUGS AND OTHER LITTLE CRITTERS Twirl/Chronicle (Children's None) $16.99 3, 16 ISBN: 978-2-40802-465-9
Peek through sliding panels to discover all manner of insects and small creatures.
Though the “critters’’ might be little, this is one hefty board book! While the series of eight sliding panels clustered on the recto of each spread makes the book’s solid cardboard construction essential, they also make it unwieldy. The back-cover proclamation that this a “great take-along travel activity” notwithstanding, this is not a book caregivers will toss in a diaper bag. Opening the book, readers find a vibrant landscape on the verso of each spread, with five distinct habitats including watery pond, cheery meadow, and eye-catching nocturnal scene. Clearly labelled bugs and creatures mill about, with a satisfying mix of common (ladybugs) and uncommon (weevils) bug and animal species. Opposite the scene, eight smoothly moving panels hide four matching pairs. Though there are general suggestions of games to play with the panels written in itty-bitty text, the list of ideas (match the animals, locate them on the scene, hide the critters, and play I spy) feels half-hearted and repetitive at best. Better are the cartoon illustrations that make spiders, bats, and mosquitoes look as friendly as these creatures can, with large eyes and unobtrusive smiles. Intense, almost garish primary colors are forcefully cheerful.
The game element doesn’t fly, but the art and interactive panels will attract toddler interest. (Novelty/board book. 2-4)
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"Babin, Stephanie: BUGS AND OTHER LITTLE CRITTERS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727493/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=622afaa5. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.
Babin, Stéphanie LITTLE BUG ON THE MOVE Twirl/Chronicle (Children's None) $14.99 3, 16 ISBN: 978-2-40802-464-2
A board book with moving parts and an active little bug that transforms into a butterfly.
Though the protagonist is consistently called “the little bug” in Hardenberg’s translation from the French, it is depicted as a genial caterpillar. In a welcome change from traditional lift-the-flap books, its adventure features sliding and spinning pieces. Each with a die-cut hole for little fingers, these interactive manipulatives allow readers to make the little bug climb up a hill, twirl on a red flower, and, in one particularly clever move, jump off a branch and right outside the frame of the book. Each page asks a different question about the little bug’s actions—“Who is hiding in a mushroom?” for instance—and the movement helps readers answer. Eventually, the little bug disappears, replaced by a chrysalis. The final page then reveals a brightly colored pop-up butterfly—the little bug transformed. Babin’s text is straightforward and concise, because really, this one is all about the interaction on the page. Cosneau’s illustrations are similarly simple. The little bug’s segmented body is colorful, with pronounced antennae and big, cartoon eyes. The backgrounds are bright but not overly busy, and they include occasional fine details such as a tiny spider and a trail of ants. Little readers will no doubt enjoy the thrill of moving the little bug around the page, which is really both the focus and the highlight of this one.
Interactive elements make this delightfully playful. (Novelty board book. 1-3)
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Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Babin, Stephanie: LITTLE BUG ON THE MOVE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A661545908/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=298f4aaf. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022.