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Alborough, Jez
15 Reviews
(3)
PS
In this companion to Hug, Tall, and others, young chimpanzee Bobo would rather play in the jungle than go to bed--at least until "Dark" turns out to be scary. Like the previous books, Play features comics-style panels with limited speech-bubble text and expressive pen-and-ink illustrations. Bobo has pleasantly grown as a character, with an expanding vocabulary and a desire for independent exploration before snuggling up with Mommy: "Bedtime."
Reviewer: Rachel Marsh
(3)
K-3
Dog Albert loves to tell stories, but when baby brother Little Henry arrives, Mom and Dad don't have time to listen. Albert feels like he's shrinking--especially at a party for the baby--until Mom gives him a blank book to record his stories in. Albert's emotions are nuanced and wide-ranging. The illustrations, particularly those depicting Albert's changing size, skillfully reflect his self-image and his relationships.
Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth
(4)
K-3
Nat (Nat the Cat's Sunny Smile) invites Billy Goat and Hugo Hare for breakfast. Billy arrives early, drinks all the juice, and makes himself sick by eating some half-risen bread. Learning patience, helping friends, and admitting mistakes are worthy lessons, but the rhyming tale is saccharine and a few Britishisms may be confusing (e.g., "lay the table"). The oversize illustrations add energy.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
(3)
PS
Some farm animals re-create a tractor's sounds (e.g., rumbles, honks) with their own baas, moos, etc.--until Farmer Dougal awakens, convinced that someone is stealing his wheels. The littlest listeners and readers will be in hog heaven with the abundant imitable animal sounds and the mischief-spiked barnyard-set illustrations.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
K-3
In his fifth outing, Duck dons a cape and mask, determined to save the day. His super-hero attempts to get Goat's kite airborne fall flat, but when the wind picks up so does the kite...with Frog hanging on for dear life. Super Duck to the rescue! The playful rhyming text is ably assisted by comical illustrations.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
(4)
PS
In this board book edition of the picture book, chimp Bobo worries about his height. When he gets on the head or shoulders of another animal to feel taller, he encounters someone taller still. The ending is predictable but satisfying: Bobo falls from his latest perch and is rescued by his mother. The few words add little to what is essentially a visual story.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(4)
PS
Young chimp Bobo (of Hug and Tall fame) says "yes" to a bath but "no" when his mom says it's bedtime. The limited text, comprised mainly of "yes" and "no," nonetheless communicates a complete (if not original) story. The gouache illustrations are heavy on blues, greens, and browns, adding to the gentle tone of the story.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(4)
PS
In this sturdy lift-the-flap book, Duck is looking for the key to his truck, but Frog keeps hiding it. There are no written hints as to where it is hidden, though the rich primary-color illustrations on clean white backgrounds provide some clues. This book satisfies a child's need for action but little of the need for story.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(3)
K-3
When Sid the dog thinks a happy thought on his way to school one day, he floats up in the air and begins to fly. When he reports his adventure his classmates laugh at him and tell him that dogs don't fly. His father, however, sympathizes and tells him a secret--some dogs do. The final bright illustration shows Sid and his parents floating cloudlike over their yard. The cheerful story is told in a lively rhyme.
Reviewer: Patricia Riley
(3)
K-3
Aboard Goat's motorboat, Frog and Sheep are waiting for Goat to return with a gas can, when fun-loving, carefree Duck comes along. He shanghais the boat, and the three go for a wild ride, ending up lost at sea and out of gas. Alborough's rhyming text and richly textured, dynamic cartoon illustrations are humorous.
Reviewer: Mark Adam
(4)
PS
Always eager to spring into action, Duck hastens to repair what he thinks is a leak in his roof, but his misguided efforts cause one catastrophe after another. A helpful frog plays a somewhat artificial role in the story. However, the rhyming text is well suited to Duck's wacky exploits and so are the energetic illustrations, which, appropriately enough, frequently escape their boxed margins.
Reviewer: Martha Sibert
(4)
PS
In this small board book edition, a young chimpanzee in need of a hug searches for his mother and is accompanied by an array of friendly animals. The minimal text--three words repeated in different contexts--isn't very effective, but the expressive illustrations invite participation. Young listeners will readily sympathize with the chimp's satisfyingly resolved dilemma.
Reviewer: Jim St. Claire
(3)
PS
A rhyming text relates the troubles of a duck whose truck gets stuck in the muck. Large, clear illustrations, which alternate between double-page spreads and panels of various sizes, are the main strength of the book; the art makes the most of the story's physical comedy, with exaggerated humor and an engaging animal cast, including a frog, a sheep, and a goat who all come to help out.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(4)
PS
Accompanied by an array of friendly animals, a young chimpanzee in need of a hug searches the jungle for his mother. The minimal text--three words repeated in different contexts--isn't very effective, but the lively, expressive illustrations invite participation in the construction of the story. Young listeners will readily sympathize with the little chimp's satisfyingly resolved dilemma.
Reviewer: Jim St. Claire
(4)
K-3
Though he has a teddy bear, Eddie is lonely--that is, until he meets an oversized bear who, despite his own teddy, is lonely, too. Though Alborough's rhyming text is overly cute at times, both his plot and pleasingly plump protagonists, rendered in watercolor, crayon, and pencil, work well to create a sense of warmth and comfort in this sequel to Where's My Teddy.
Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne
15 reviews
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