Tag: kidkit review

We Found A Hat (Jon Klassen)

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Hello, everybody! Our book today is the final story from Jon Klassen’s hilarious Hat Trilogy, We Found A Hat. 

Two tortoise friends in the desert, who do everything together, one day stumble upon a hat. They both like the hat. They both look very good in the hat. But there are two of them, and only one hat. The tortoises decide that since both cannot have the hat, then neither will. But as they prepare for sleep, one tortoise wonders: what if he took the hat? Can he resist temptation for the sake of his best friend?

Of the Hat Trilogy, this one absolutely has the most heart. The hilariously deadpan style of the dialogue is back, and as fun to read as ever, and Klassen’s fabulously minimalist illustrations still tell as much of the story with a shifty eye or turned head as text does. But unlike the first two books in the series, which were just pure fun, the finale has a lovely and touching message: material things are never as precious as true friendship. The length of this one is perfect, and while the art may not be as colorful as other children’s books, the bold minimalist art is still as striking as it is charming. JJ loved this book, as did I, and it’s absolutely Baby Bookworm approved!

Good Night, Baddies (Deborah Underwood)

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Hello, friends! Today, we read Good Night, Baddies, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Juli Kangas, a delightfully fun bedtime rhyme for naughty fairytale villains.

At the end of the day, after fighting heroes and doing their wicked work, even baddies need to wind down. They catch up with friends, have a relaxing dinner, take a bath, read a book, even check under the bed for princesses! And after a lullaby, even baddies will drift off to sleep, and will hopefully dream (sour) dreams.

This was a really cute play on the typical bedtime story, and had some adorably silly laughs. I loved that all the baddies lived together in one castle, sharing their bedtime routines and taking care of one another – hilariously sweet. The art is wonderful, filled with its own humor and tons of charm. JJ enjoyed it, and the length was great, so this is a perfect book to show little ones that, yes, everyone has a bedtime, even the naughtiest among us. We really enjoyed this one, and it is Baby Bookworm approved!

Explorers Of The Wild (Cale Atkinson)

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Hello, everyone! Today, we read Explorers Of The Wild by Cale Atkinson, an adorable story of two adventurers and their unexpected friendship.

Exploring the wild takes guts, be you human or bear. It takes knowledge, ingenuity, curiosity and skill. And if you’re very, very lucky, sometimes you will find a friend who shares those same qualities, and who might spend the day wandering the wild with you. And when you have to part, it might be bittersweet, but you will always have the memories of your adventures together.

Atkinson’s To The Sea was one of our favorite books last year, so we had high hopes for this one, and it absolutely delivered. Once again, the reader is given a wonderful, colorful, exhilarating book about friendship and what makes it special. The way the illustrations and text are laid out, the reader feels as though they are joining Boy and Bear on their adventures, and the story has a lot of great themes on friendship, nature, and courage. The length is just perfect for baby bookworms, and JJ thoroughly enjoyed it. This one is definitely recommended for adventurers of all ages, and it is absolutely Baby Bookworm approved!

The Cranky Ballerina (Elise Gravel)

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Hello, everyone! After the disappointment of yesterday’s book, we were hoping for something fun today! And thankfully, we got it with today’s read, The Cranky Ballerina by Elise Gravel, a fun and silly story with a classic message about finding your path.

Ada hates Saturdays. Every Saturday, she has to get up early, put on her tight leotard and her itchy tutu, and go to her ballet class (which she hates most of all)! The teacher is nice, but no matter how hard Ada tries, she just can’t get the hang of it, and she doesn’t really want to. But when her disastrous attempt at a pirouette spins and kicks her right out into the hall, she runs into another teacher who just might have the perfect solution to her problem!

What a fun read this was! First, who doesn’t love a story about finding the hobbies and skills that make you feel happy and special? It’s always a great message for kids, that being bad at one thing just means that you might be great at something else. In addition, the simple, sassy illustrations are lots of fun and full of character, and the text has got humor and charm, making it a fun one to read aloud. The length is perfect for baby bookworms of all ages, and JJ really enjoyed it! We liked this one a lot! Baby Bookworm approved!

Wombat Divine (Mem Fox)

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Happy Holidays Week, Day 3: Hello, everybody! Today’s book is Wombat Divine, written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Kerry Argent, a very sweet tale of a wombat, a nativity play, and a dream.

Of all the holidays, Wombat loves Christmas most of all! He especially loves the Nativity play, and wants more than anything to be part of it this year. But when he goes to audition, he just doesn’t seem to be right for any of the parts, no matter how hard he tries, nor the encouragement of his friends. Can Wombat find the part that will be right for him?

Choosing this book based on the cover and title alone (and, really, how could I resist?), I was so pleasantly surprised by what a cool Christmas story this was! Wombat’s perseverance in the face of disappointment, the earnest support and kindness of his friends, and the adorable resolution are all great. Plus, in the spirit of exploring the way other cultures celebrate their holidays, this is a decidedly Aussie holiday book: every character is an indigenous Australian animal, and it features a bright and sunny summer Christmas. The length is just fine for baby bookworms, the illustrations are charming, and JJ had a great time reading it. Baby Bookworm approved!