Review by School Library Journal Review
Toddler-PreS-Two new oversize board book titles join Foster's sophisticated yet age-appropriate concept books for little tots. Brown Bear is a visual treat; introducing the colors of the rainbow with spreads of delightfully patterned artwork, it offers readers the opportunity to interact with both text and images. Page turns reveal a larger and larger stack of circle cutouts on the left side, as more and more of Brown Bear appears on the right side. The final page turn shows a large, colorful flower and a smiling Brown Bear on the opposite side. In Stripy Tiger, tabbed pages present visual clues of the upcoming patterns: stripes, dots, triangles, swirls, and more. The spreads feature illustrations using the mentioned pattern, from swirls on umbrellas to Stripy Tiger flying "high in a swirly balloon." The example for triangles depicts both triangular trees and a tepee, with no mention of Native American tribes. Since this is a board book aimed at young tots, it seems appropriate that caregivers or parents would add further description as needed to the illustration. VERDICT While Brown Bear is textually and visually the stronger of the two options, both deserve placement in early learning collections. The oversize format makes these selections particularly suited for small group sharing.-Lisa Kropp, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Readers explore a rainbow of colors as they search for the titular bear. On the left-hand page, the color in question is stated at the top of the page in an oversize font. Below, some short lines of text list the animals or objects toddlers can hunt for, always culminating with the question: "Where is Brown Bear?" On the right-hand side of each spread, little ones can pore over Foster's stylized renderings of seven objects in the hue in question, all done in thick black lines and inviting patterns. A die-cut circle frames Brown Bear's face at the center of the page, growing bigger with each page-turn. On the final page, the text reads: "Here is Brown Bear with all his favorite colors. Can you name them?" A cuddly bear is surrounded by three flowers, one of which is formed from the concentric, die-cut circles in rainbow hues. The less-successful companion title, Jane Foster's Stripy Tiger Pattern Book, features the stylized tiger that appeared on the orange spread of the first book in each of the double-page scenes dizzyingly bedazzled by stripes, squares, swirls, stars, and more. Those readers who do not find the addition of a teepee on the triangle spread inappropriate for reasons of cultural appropriation may objects to its geometric label, as it is more conical in shape than triangular. Tabbed pages let little ones quickly turn to their favorite patterns. Colorful Brown Bear is a lovely addition to a handsome series, but give Stripy Tiger a pass. (Board book. 18 mos.-3) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
