PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS: Goodbye Brings Hello/What Do They Do With All That Poo?/A Boy, A Bear, A Balloon/A Home for Leo
ABOUT THE BOOK
Like Bernie Waber's COURAGE and Davis' KINDERGARTEN ROCKS!, this inspiring, vibrantly illustrated gift book is perfect for celebrating life's milestones, both great and small—especially that first day of kindergarten.
There are many ways of letting go.
With each goodbye, a new hello.
From being pushed on a swing to learning how to pump your legs yourself, from riding a beloved trike to mastering your first bike ride, from leaving the comforts of home behind to venturing forth on that first day of school, milestones are exciting but hard. They mean having to say goodbye to one moment in order to welcome the next.
Honest and uplifting, this cheerfully illustrated ode to change gently empowers readers to brave life's milestones, both large and small.
REVIEW
If there is one thing that many people hate, it's change. It can be difficult to adjust when something we've grown used to isn't the same anymore. It truly requires effort to say goodbye to the familiar. This book highlights some of those changes and the fact that when we say goodbye to something, we are often saying hello to something else. And those hellos can be fabulous. Whether it's learning to pump on a swing, or moving from a preschool trike to a big kid bike, or trying a new hair style, change can be exciting and joyful as well as scary and difficult. The book takes the reader through several different changes, leading up to a big goodbye/hello: the first day of school. The book is a cute way to introduce young readers to those changes that come our way and how they can be a wonderful thing if we approach them right.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Find out what happens to all of the poo at the zoo in this funny and factual picture book!
There are so many different kinds of animals at the zoo, and they each make lots and lots (and sometimes LOTS!) of poo. So what do zoos do with all of that poo? This zany, fact-filled romp explores zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to white hyena scat, and all of the places it ends up, including in science labs and elephant-poo paper—even backyard gardens!
REVIEW
While the subject of this book is rather gross, it's also a fact of life. And the title question is a good one. I have to admit that when I heard the title for the first time, I was both grossed out and intrigued. Grossed out for obvious reasons. Intrigued because I was curious to know the answer. And I think that at least some young readers are bound to be intrigued as well. And since the book is nonfiction it treats the subject matter in a straight-forward, down-to-earth manner. The book starts by talking about the waste produced by a variety of different zoo animals, such as pandas, giraffe's, hippos, and sloths. Each page has a basic statement about that animals and it's poo, followed by additional information at the bottom of the page. The second part of the book covers the various ways that zoos dispose of the large amount of waste they collect on a daily basis. I found it interesting. And the illustrations are bright and cheerful and not too graphic. An interesting book on a fascinating if disgusting topic.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Leo grew up in the sea. He has a family of sea lions he loves. He’s happy, but he has always known he was different. Then Leo’s suddenly reunited with his human parents, and he finds he loves them too. But he still feels like a fish out of water. Being from two worlds and having two families isn’t so easy. Leo has a lot to figure out…
Splashed with humor and grounded in heart, this brightly illustrated story explores ideas of family, home, and belonging in a way that’s as relatable as it is unique.
REVIEW
This is a cute book about a young boy who gets lost at sea and is raised by a sea lion, sea gull, and sea otter. When he is discovered and returned to his human parents he is overjoyed, but he finds himself missing his animal family. The illustrations are darling and I enjoyed them. I could have done without so many scenes with the boy wearing nothing, but he is primarily covered in some way, except when he looks at his rear end and realizes he doesn't have a tail like his sea otter friend. The themes related to finding a way to belong to both families is one that all too many children will be able to relate to, although not in quite so unusual a fashion.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Retelling touching scenes from the upcoming Walt Disney Studios' upcoming Christopher Robin film, this charming picture book finds Christopher reuniting with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, and the rest of his old friends when he returns to the Hundred Acre Wood for the first time since childhood. As he returns to the life he once new, Christopher sees the world through new eyes and discovers that even as everything around us seems to change, the most important things remain constant.
REVIEW
Growing up often has unfortunate side effects. One of those side effects is losing the hopefulness and imagination of youth. In this picture book based on the upcoming Disney movie, Christopher Robin returns to the Hundred Acre Wood as an adult. He's a bit distracted though by the important papers in his briefcase. And while he enjoys seeing his friend Pooh Bear, he's weighed down by his "respons-a-bil-a-bees". When his papers go flying, he stops to pick them up only to realize that Pooh has disappeared. As he searches for his old friend, Christopher Robin slowly starts to realize that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing, and enjoying the joys of imagination can lighten one's load, and waiting for somewhere to come to you can be the best thing of all. I'll admit I'm a bit Winnie-the-Pooh fan so I was interested in this book when I heard about it. But the thing that made me especially pick it up, was the illustration on the cover. The illustrations scattered throughout the book are darling and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was fun to see Christopher Robin reconnect with his old friends and take some time to relax and enjoy life.
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