kingofspain93's reviews
325 reviews

The I Love You Book by Todd Parr

4.5

there is something about the simplistic artwork that captures how babies are like cartoon humans who nevertheless have a very real range of emotions, of strengths and weaknesses. big bows, big tears, big smiles, bright colors. while everything else around them may be so hard it's worth it for the joy of knowing them. this book has some lovely energy.

Babies on the Go by Paige Satterly

3.75

a funny example of a common kid's book type which I never suspected the existence of: a bunch of stock photos with captions. what market forces drive publication of mostly recycled material? is it just that it is easy to produce cheaply? it doesn't make for a bad reading experience. the photos are cute and babies love staring at babies so there is demand in that sense. good hype for kids to get really into moving around as a lifestyle.

Potty by Leslie Patricelli

4.0

the only other toilet-themed children's book I remember reading is the ubiquitous Everyone Poops and I didn't like the artwork as a kid. because of that and my distaste for any form of condescension I was a little wary of the whole subgenre but this was pretty cute with good art. kid POV not just adultsplaining pooping. it's hard to imagine ever needing a second book on this subject but what do I know?

Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart by Jane Lindskold
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.

I'm bummed because I wanted to be into this. I enjoyed the first book in the series and I expected Lindskold to be able to grow the world in cool ways. She clearly has everything mapped out in her head but rather than tell a story where the gaps gradually get filled in the first third of Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart is a fire hose of exposition. Whether it's the third-person omniscient narration, a dialogue between characters, or a character’s thoughts, every chapter is just more background about geography, politics, business expansion, royal houses, etc. etc. Any time something appears to be about to happen Lindskold catches herself and just delivers more exposition instead. About a third of the way into the book things start to move but even then it's slow (and not slow-burn) and I simply won't be alive long enough to justify finishing a book I'm lukewarm about without some compelling reason beyond my own enjoyment. Annoying!

I Know a Lot! by Stephen Krensky

3.75

this has wonderful art by Sara Gillingham which captures the sweetness of the everyday but unfortunately her drawings are paired with an insipid rhyming narrative (or poem, whatever you would call it) by Krensky which keeps the book from being truly great.

My First Book of Numbers by

4.5

crisp and neat looking, wonderful colors and layout. the different countable objects kept catching me by surprise. the book starts off basic with 1 puppy and by the end you're counting Fabergé eggs and maple leaves. good for whimsy

Corduroy's Tiny Treasury by Don Freeman

3.0

the lot of 20 random board books I got on eBay for $22 did not happen to include all five books that make up Corduroy's Tiny Treasury so I'm logging this instead of the one volume I did get, Corduroy's Playtime. many of the illustrations look weirdly blurry but the two-pager at the end of Corduroy eating a honey sandwich is darling. he's so loveable it makes up for a lot.

Touch and Feel: Canadian Animals by

3.25

I like the concept of these books but the actual textures always gross me out. the juxtaposition of some of the animals is hilarious. Canadian wildlife is eclectic! you can see a chipmunk and an orca in the same day and touch and feel them if you want! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

To Infinity and Beyond! by Caleb Burroughs

1.75

the first Toy Story has hostile energy which stressed me out as a kid. Woody is vicious! and the animation is scary. To Infinity and Beyond! has a big number 2 on the spine so I can only assume it's part of a small set that tells the full story of the movie. as a standalone it is made up of screenshots from the part where Woody is freaking out about losing his privileged position to Buzz and it ends abruptly with no closure. it's all the upsetting parts of the movie with none of the (somewhat shaky) catharsis in the form of a tiny 3” by 3” board book. I can't recommend it.

I Am a Garbage Truck by Ace Landers

3.75

I was expecting some frills (and there are nice artistic touches. I like the seagulls descending en masse onto the landfill, it's honest.) but this is a frank description of what a garbage truck does. it is in first person despite the otherwise non-anthropomorphized truck so I guess that's a bit playful.

oh and DUH the book is shaped like a garbage truck! how could I forget that's the absolute best part. if I were a kid I would lose my mind over that. as an adult my books are just shaped like books. I think a big part of the reason I've spent literal years reading Bottom's Dream is that it's a funny size. chasing that childhood magic.