HELLO NINJAS!
by Joan Holub
Illustrated by Chris Dickason
Little Simon
Board Book Fantasy
26 pages
ages 2 to 5
New from beloved author Joan Holub, Hello Ninjas! is a fun, playful board book about sneaky ninjas!
Hello mask
Hello boots
Hello ninjas wearing suits
Ninjas ten point to the sky
A challenge from the samurai!
Perfect for reading out loud, Joan Holub’s hilarious text and Chris Dickason’s lively illustrations will have little ones learning and laughing as they try to find all the sneaky ninjas hidden on each page.
A clever, interactive approach to first concepts, this board book series also introduces important “next-step” concepts like counting in a hilariously engaging way.
MY TIDBITS
Set in rhyme, ninjas are brought to center stage as they go on a treasure hunt and come against the Samurai, who aren't ready to give the treasure free. With flips, hanging from ropes, and, for all things, flipping and sneaking in pure ninja style, these ninjas are determined to get what they want.
Small ninja fans will love this one as they follow the daring and very agile characters on a small...and sometimes smile-worthy, adventure. The rhymes flow quick, although sometimes more forced than others, and keep the pace high as the search and battle for the treasure ensues. The vocabulary is just right for the age group, and the illustrations make it perfect for a read a loud. It's a nice mix of action and fun, never too much or dangerous.
The author puts an added twist in this one, which introduces a little to beginning math. Starting with ten ninjas, the next two-page spreads do a type of countdown. First, one ninja does something, leaving nine ninjas. Then, two ninjas do something, leaving eight ninjas. The math is subtle but present enough that it could be noticed. At the end, there's a huge treat with a cute opening of doors and a gigantic taco surprise, which guarantees the book ends in sheer delight.
HELLO KNIGHTS!
by Joan Holub
Illustrated by Chris Dickason
Little Simon
Board Book Adventure
26 pages
ages 2 to 5
New from beloved author Joan Holub, Hello Knights! is a fun, playful board book about unexpected friendship!
Knights run up.
Knights run down.
Take the queen her royal crown.
Knights march here.
Knights march there.
Take the king his underwear.
Perfect for reading out loud, Joan Holub’s hilarious text and Chris Dickason’s lively illustrations will have little ones huff-puff laughing as the knights and dragons run up and down the castle wall.
A clever, interactive approach to first concepts, this board book series also introduces important “next-step” concepts like opposites in a hilariously engaging way.
MY TIDBITS
Knights are shiny in their armor and stand ready in the castle. Until the dragons come. The dragons are fierce, and everyone expects a war. That is, until the knights do something very unexpected and let the King's underwear fly. The dragons take this with shock and soon, the entire story takes on a brand, new twist.
This is such a cute book! Set in wonderful rhyme, the knights are presented with simple words, but these words are exactly enough to make them as knightful as can be. There's up and down and other simple directions slipped in among the fun. And there is fun. The king's underwear takes a clever twist to the story while adding exactly the right item to insure giggles. While the dragons and a fierce moment, the author quickly slides it back into a very age appropriate setting and weaves the entire story until it ends in a splendid message.
The illustrations are bright and hold enough details to insure hours of flipping back and forth between the pages. Especially the dragons gained a smile from my household, impressive and yet perfectly fitting to the tale.
This is a sweet book which won't only make knight and dragon friends smile. It packs a little adventure, clever fun and a message which is as honorable as the knights themselves. A huge thumbs up to this read!
And here they are...
The Author...
Joan Holub has authored and /or illustrated over 140 children's books, including the goddess Girls series the Heroes in Training series the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads (illustrated by James Dean), and Little Red Writing (illustrated by Melissa Sweet). She lives in North Carolina and is online at JoanHolub.com.
The Illustrator...
Chris Dickason grew up somewhere between the canals of southwest France, the Swiss mountains, England's estuaries and amusement arcades. The youngest of four children (the 'little brother' role he still embraces in adulthood). Christ spent the majority of his education drawing on his friends' schoolbooks and was brought up oon a diet of Tom & Jerry, Swiss chocolates, cheap fizzy pop and French sunshine.
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