Sujean Rim

Simple but potent, this read invites to warmth, snuggles, and embraces the positive wonder of love and life.

A child heads outside, ready to experience whatever comes its way and finds joy in every moment. It's the little things, which make the difference in this read and demonstrate how amazing these things can be. From the grass under the feet to the clouds in the sky, the child simply enjoys the moments.

The text flows along in calming rhyme, adding to the warm atmosphere. The first phrase show more of each verse is printed large and flowy on one side of the page, using repetition to draw in the comfort of familiarity and giving something for listeners to 'read along with' if desired. The second phrase adds a bit of action and emotion, but this is where the illustrations take the lead with their simple and inviting style. The child is kept in basic outlines with general details, allowing listeners to easily identify with it. (And the bunny ears is such a nice touch!) The scenes, however, are colorful and dreamily artistic. These only take up an area of the white page, keeping attention centered on the colorful scene. These hold familiar moments almost every listener can identify with and solidify the positive theme.

Everything fits very well to the intended age group and makes a nice read-aloud for a calmer, group setting or for a one-to-one bedtime/snuggle moment. It offers a very supportive and uplifting message of love and leaves a off with a sense of security and warmth. Simply said, it's a lovely, feel-good read. I received a DRC and found this to be a nice, bedtime/hug-worthy read. show less

Picked this one up on a whim from the thrift store and so glad I did. Great illustrations and I love the story. My princess dress loving daughter likes those darn kids dress up shoes so she could relate to this little girl wanting to wear Mommy's pretty heels only to find out they are uncomfortable and don't allow her to do all the fun things she loves to do. Pretty for a price...

A little kid's dog doesn't sound like the other dogs, so she takes Smudge to the farm to see if the other animals understand what he's saying. To no avail - but ultimately, it doesn't matter, because even though she doesn't know what Smudge is saying, she knows exactly what she means.

Funny and affirming, with a lift-the-flap element to delight the younger set.

Animal sounds...or better said, language...takes a different twist in a cute read.

Smudge is a little doggy, who doesn't bark like a regular dog. Instead, his noises seem to be more related to other animals. The owner, a little girl, decides to visit other animals and see if they can figure out what Smudge wants to say. She goes from a cow to a pig to many other creatures, but none are able to be of much help.

This is a simple picture book, which carries tons of heart and pet love. The little show more girl's care for Smudge is inspiring, and Smudge is adorable with his various noises. The plot is also simple, and makes a lovely read-aloud for even the younger end of the intended audience level. The illustrations concentrate on the mentioned characters and closer surroundings to keep everything very directed. This also makes a lovely read for those who are still building their reading skills.

Wholesome curiosity, animal fun, and gentle humor make this a lovely tale in many ways. Even younger listeners can enjoy this one, since it practices their animal sounds and recognition...and will have them imitating the noises themselves. It's enjoyable to see if one can guess what animal sound Smudge's barks are most similar to. There are also flaps on every two-page spread. The flaps are, unfortunately, not always easy to finger open, since they are simply squares of the same paper glued on one side to the book page. Also, their presence doesn't always seem to have an importance. But this is only a tiny, side note, since it is fun to see what is behind each one.

It's a cute book, which is sure to bring smiles to listeners' faces. show less