Tag: Jill howarth

The Shapes Of Spring (Jill Howarth)

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Hello, friends! Hope you all had a hoppy holiday weekend! Our book today is The Shapes Of Spring by Jill Howarth, the latest in her series of delightful, season-themed board books.

Spring has sprung, and with it all sorts of things to do! Egg hunts, gardening, flying kites, and generally just getting out to enjoy the warming weather. And as one little bunny does all these things with her fellow animal pals, there are plenty of shapes all around to spot! Circles can be cabbages and fruits in the garden, diamonds are kites and fresh green leaves, and of course all those oval-shaped eggs in the basket! Come along and help little bunny spot all the shapes of spring!

Adorable. Howarth’s early-learning books – which have previously featured letters, numbers, colors, etc. for different seasons and their holidays – are always a bright and colorful treat. And with spring as the subject, her classic storybook- inspired artwork sings with every hue of the rainbow, creating vivid scenes with endearing animal characters and, of course, plenty of shapes to spot. In fact, one of the notable aspects are how MANY shapes included in each spread: there are dozens in each scene, allowing for the board book to be a quick read or a lengthy seek-and-find, depending on what the reader is in the mood for. An egg hunt is included yet not specified as an Easter celebration, and otherwise no specific secular holidays are highlighted. JJ loved the little animals, and I loved encouraging her to find shapes both obvious and more hidden; it made for some great critical thinking. Another winner, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

The Colors Of Christmas (Jill Howarth)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is The Colors Of Christmas by Jill Howarth, a cheery look at the rainbow of colors we see during the holiday season.

Latest in a playful series of holiday board books, our tale begins in a tiny town of mice residents, all busily preparing for Christmas Eve. And with every preparation and tradition, with every gift wrapped and cookie baked, the holiday is positively filled with color. There‘s the bright red of Santa’s suit, the crisp white of the falling snow, the lush greens of trees and garlands, the silver tinsel on every bough, and much more. At last, when Christmas morning dawns, the town is abuzz with excitement and festivities – and of course, plenty of color.

Adorable! Howarth’s board books – with her retro folk-inspired artwork featuring vibrant hues and charming animals – are always a delight. And her command of color is put to fantastic work here, exploring how each shade of the rainbow can be part of Christmas. The examples are sound, and never feel like a stretch, even for colors that may not immediately come to mind for the holiday. It’s a great way to encourage young readers learning their colors to look for them in their own holiday, and JJ had a fabulous time spotting the examples within each color-themed spread. The length is perfect for a quick read, and the rhyming text is bouncy and flows well. This makes for a lovely Christmastime read for little bookworms, and we recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

The 12 Days Of Christmas (Jill Howarth)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is The 12 Days Of Christmas by Jill Howarth, a delightful board book version of the classic song.

Follow a gang of woodland friends as an adorable gray bunny is showered with gifts by a sly fox (Friend? Admirer? “True Love”?). Each page features the day’s gift in a fun, homey holiday setting: a snow-covered grove of trees where the animals all live, making goodies in Rabbit’s kitchen, and an especially cute bathtub filled with seven swans a-swimming. As the song reaches the “maids a-milking”, more woodland pals join in the fun, counting up to twelve and back, all the way down to the partridge in a pear tree.

Too sweet. Howarth’s retro-inspired illustrations are a perfect fit for such a familiar tune, evoking both the nostalgia of the song while creating a bright, colorful, and fresh visual story for little ones. JJ especially loved singing and counting along page to page, which the art made easy (the later verses tended to get a little busier visually, but Howarth always provides a cue – like a hat or instrument – to denote the drummers drumming or maids a-milking). This was a real treat, and JJ wanted to go back and read it again as soon as we were done – always a sign of a winner in our house. A fun and festive way to learn a classic, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

1-2-3, You Love Me (Jill Howarth)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is 1-2-3, You Love Me by Jill Howarth, an adorable counting board book that celebrates the sweetest things in life.

As with most counting books, each page features a number and a collection of objects or creatures that represent it. Howarth’s bouncy and cheerful rhymes and colorful, charming illustrations do the rest, teaching little readers about numbers by exploring little moments of love with a mother and baby bear: cuddling puppies, sipping delicious milkshakes with friends, looking at photos of loved ones, and giving big bear hugs.

This is ridiculously cute. From the bright spring colors to the cuddly characters, each page is absolutely delightful and didn’t fail to make us grin. The text has a great rhythm and flow, making it a breeze to read aloud. This one is just pure cute with the added bonus of teaching numbers, the length is great, and JJ and I both loved it. A wonderful addition to any little one’s board book collection, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)