Little Poems for Tiny Ears

by Lin Oliver, Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)

Overview

The dynamic, best-selling team of Lin Oliver and Tomie dePaola have created a charming collection of baby poems that makes the perfect gift for baby showers and first birthdays.

For babies and toddlers, each moment is full of wonder and discovery. This delightful collection of original poems celebrates the everyday things that enthrall little ones, such as playing peekaboo, banging pots and pans, splashing at bath time, and cuddling at bedtime. Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sound of poetry, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola’s engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver’s lighthearted poems. Together they’ve created a book to be treasured that captures the magic and fun of being new in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698149243
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/11/2014
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 Months to 2 Years

About the Author

Lin Oliver (www.linoliver.com) is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for children. Known for her comic invention and light touch, she has created such series as Hank Zipzer, Ghost Buddy, Almost Identical and Sound Bender. An accomplished writer and producer of family entertainment, Lin is also the co-founder and executive director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives and works in Los Angeles, where she eats tacos and walks on the beach.

Tomie dePaola (www.tomie.com) is the acclaimed author and/or illustrator of more than 200 books for children. He received the 2012 Original Art Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Society of Illustrators, and he is the recipient of the Children's Literature Legacy Award, given for a substantial and lasting contribution to children’s literature. He has also received the Newbery Honor Award for 26 Fairmount Avenue and the Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona. He was awarded the Smithson Medal (from the Smithsonian) and the Regina Medal (from the Catholic Library Association), and was designated a “living treasure” by the state of New Hampshire. His Brava, Strega Nona, Strega Nona’s Harvest, and Strega Nona’s Gift were all New York Times bestsellers. He is the first author known primarily for children’s book writing to be awarded the Sarah Josepha Hale award, a prestigious distinction in writing by a New Englander. He lives in New London, New Hampshire.

Editorial Reviews

★ 11/04/2013
Twenty-three short poems written in the first-person viewpoints of infants and toddlers muse on the small discoveries and quietly joyful moments that are part of early childhood. Among them: learning to make new sounds; discovering one’s toes, bellybutton, mouth, and nose (“My tongue is pink/ And wet, I think./ In and out it goes./ It’s in my mouth/ A little south/ Of where you’ll find my nose”); cozying up to a parent; and making messes (“Watch me scoot across the floor./ I’m heading for the kitchen drawer/ To knock the pots and pans around/ And throw the dish towels on the ground”). In his distinctively serene illustrations, dePaola portrays children with rounded faces and smiling eyes as they navigate their environments and engage in familiar activities. Each scene is encapsulated within a tidy box, contributing to the overall ambiance of security and comfort, while creating the impression of framed photographs of milestone moments. An ethnically diverse cast of children and the ubiquity of delights that range from beloved pets to a father’s scratchy beard give this warmhearted collection broad appeal. Up to age 2. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

* “Everything about this book is child friendly, beginning with its wrap construction, the covers hugging the inside contents. . . . Highly readable poems about almost every familiar aspect of a young child’s life. . . . The words work in perfect tandem with dePaola’s happy art. . . . Framed to highlight chubby babies and toddlers of all ethnic backgrounds at the center of their world, being active and being loved.” — Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

* “In his distinctively serene illustrations, dePaola portrays children with rounded faces and smiling eyes as they navigate their environments and engage in familiar activities. . . . An ethnically diverse cast of children and the ubiquity of delights that range from beloved pets to a father’s scratchy beard give this warmhearted collection broad appeal.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

* “Oliver pens a set of poems tailor-made for tiny ears and minds. . . . Spun with whimsy. . . . The poems compel gentle caresses and interaction between adult and child. Varied rhythm and rhyme schemes enrich a baby’s exploration of sound at the time when his or her developing mind needs it most. DePaola’s round-faced babes . . . wrap readers in warmth, while the square frames and initial letters mimic childhood blocks, bringing a touch of comfort and nostalgia to the package. A tenderly crafted collection that captures the joyous individual moments of infant discoveries.” — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Tongue-in-cheek humor. . . . Rhythmic verses address subjects of interest to preschoolers from nose to toes and are perfect for reading aloud. . . . Occasional wordplay reminiscent of classic tongue twisters peppers the text. . . . Adults will recognize universal childhood experiences. . . . A multiethnic cast of charming, cheerful children.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

* “Everything about this book is child friendly, beginning with its wrap construction, the covers hugging the inside contents. . . . Highly readable poems about almost every familiar aspect of a young child’s life. . . . The words work in perfect tandem with dePaola’s happy art. . . . Framed to highlight chubby babies and toddlers of all ethnic backgrounds at the center of their world, being active and being loved.

STARRED REVIEW Booklist

02/01/2014
PreS—Oliver's collection of bite-size poetry offers all of the tongue-in-cheek humor that one would expect from the coauthor of the "Hank Zipzer" series (Penguin). The rhythmic verses address subjects of interest to preschoolers from nose to toes and are perfect for reading aloud alongside nursery rhymes in storytime or for one-on-one sharing. Occasional wordplay reminiscent of classic tongue twisters peppers the text, such as "I wonder why they [dogs] have wet noses./To sniff me better, I supposes." Adults will recognize universal childhood experiences, as one child roots through the kitchen drawer "To knock the pots and pans around/And throw dish towels on the ground" and another joyfully drops food from a high chair. dePaola's instantly recognizable acrylics present readers with a multiethnic cast of charming, cheerful children and provide further opportunity to discuss added details and concepts, including numbers, animals, and toys. Offer this title to the younger siblings of fans of Douglas Florian's poetry.—Sarah Westeren, Richland Library, Columbia, SC

School Library Journal

★ 2013-11-20
Twenty-three original, first-person poems for the very young. Following a multiethnic cast of little ones through their day and highlighting highchairs, strollers and other important objects in their lives, Oliver pens a set of poems tailor-made for tiny ears and minds. She quietly marvels at the wonder of toes: "Way down there at the end of my feet, / I've got ten toes; they're really sweet. / I can count them, make them wiggle. / When they're tickled, watch me giggle…. / I'll bet that you have ten toes too. / Can you count them like I do?" The simple definition of sneeze is spun with whimsy: "A sneeze / Is a breeze / In / Your / Nose." Throughout, the poems compel gentle caresses and interaction between adult and child. Varied rhythm and rhyme schemes enrich a baby's exploration of sound at the time when his or her developing mind needs it most. DePaola's round-faced babes, colored with delicate shading and cozy acrylics, wrap readers in warmth, while the square frames and initial letters mimic childhood blocks, bringing a touch of comfort and nostalgia to the package. A tenderly crafted collection that captures the joyous individual moments of infant discoveries. (Picture book/poetry. 6 mos.-2)

Kirkus Reviews