Review by Booklist Review
In this board book, a blue rhinoceros stands in profile, illustrating pairs of rhyming words printed on double-page spreads. Visual modifications range from slight (standing beneath a crescent moon, while holding a red balloon on the opposing page) to extreme (donning spectacles and a cane old on one page and appearing in shiny gold on the other). Several pages feature tactile rhinos (mossy, bumpy, furry), and plain backgrounds will help keep readers focused. A few combinations are a slight stretch (alone and on the phone), but that won't stop readers from hearing the rhyming sounds and enjoying the ever-changing appearance of the rhymoceros.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Reprising the format of 2012's Hippopposites, Coat uses a denim-colored rhinoceros to demonstrate more than a dozen pairs of rhyming words and phrases. Setting the rhino against minimal backdrops keeps the focus on how Coat alters the animal's simple graphic shape: brown fuzz makes the rhino "furry," while digital manipulation turns its outline "blurry." Some pairings hint at cause-and-effect relationships (a rain "shower" appears opposite the rhino holding a pink "flower," and a lemon tree creates "shade" while its fruit makes "lemonade"). Like its predecessor, this is a wide-ranging, stylish, and witty introduction to a key concept. Ages 2-4. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A rhyming rhinoceros composes a most amusing doggerel. This large board book explores a variety of rhymes with a quirky rhino along for the ride. The big guy stands at the center of each page, rarely moving but always engaging little ones with his attitude and poise. The author isn't afraid to shake up the rhino's composure: some pages find him tossed in the trash ("stinky"), covered with marker scribbles ("inky"), or coated in solid gold ("gold," paired with a depiction of the rhino wearing glasses, carrying a cane, and sporting wrinkles: "old"). While there's no narrative to provide a storyline, there is plenty to enjoy in Coat's straightforward approach. Each couplet is presented with simplicity, words appearing beneath the illustration of the titular beast and provoking different sounds and ideas each time. A few of the pages have a tactile component ("bumpy"; "furry"; "mossy"), rendering the rhinoceros in different textures and encouraging little hands to reach out and touch. Charmingly simple. (Board book. 6 mos.-2) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
