Title: Happy Hippo, Angry Duck: A Book of Moods
Author: Sandra Boynton
Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Publisher: Little Simon
Year of Publication: 2011
Genre: Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: This book received a starred review from Kirkus.
Summary: This is a board book that features many animals displaying a wide range of moods.
Summary of Professional Reviews: According to Kirkus, Boynton's signature animating style and trademark characters make an appearance in this book. Kirkus liked how the simple changes in the facial expressions of the characters convey such wide ranges of emotions. They also liked the wording of the story. The text is rhythmic, conversational, and humorous. According to Kirkus, this book is, "Guaranteed to knock the bad mood out of anyone, duck included."
Review by Alexis: Boynton's illustrations of the animals in the book makes the text of the story come alive. The illustrations of the animals are extremely simple, but the way Boynton changes the facial expressions makes all the difference between the emotions. The changes between the animals' expressions are so simple, sometimes just a change in the placement of the eyebrows or the shape of the eyes, but by using such deliberate changes Boynton truly helps the reader sense the emotions of the animals. Besides the illustrations, Boynton's text also helps the reader enjoy this book. She starts the book off with a bear who talks directly to the reader. By doing so, Boynton has the reader invested in the story from the first page and the question the bear poses helps the reader quickly relate to the animals in the story. Boynton's text is written in a very friendly, conversational way and involves some humor (in the middle with the frazzled thing and at the end with the duck).
This book would be useful when teaching… This book could be used in a kindergarten class when teaching students about different emotions. The teacher could read the story as a read aloud to the students and have a booktalk about all the different emotions Boynton involves in the story.
This book could also be used in a second or third grade class when teaching about expensive words the students can use in their writing. The teacher can teach the students in a mini lesson that they can involve words such as terrific, confused, amused, etc. when writing.
Author: Sandra Boynton
Illustrator: Sandra Boynton
Publisher: Little Simon
Year of Publication: 2011
Genre: Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: This book received a starred review from Kirkus.
Summary: This is a board book that features many animals displaying a wide range of moods.
Summary of Professional Reviews: According to Kirkus, Boynton's signature animating style and trademark characters make an appearance in this book. Kirkus liked how the simple changes in the facial expressions of the characters convey such wide ranges of emotions. They also liked the wording of the story. The text is rhythmic, conversational, and humorous. According to Kirkus, this book is, "Guaranteed to knock the bad mood out of anyone, duck included."
Review by Alexis: Boynton's illustrations of the animals in the book makes the text of the story come alive. The illustrations of the animals are extremely simple, but the way Boynton changes the facial expressions makes all the difference between the emotions. The changes between the animals' expressions are so simple, sometimes just a change in the placement of the eyebrows or the shape of the eyes, but by using such deliberate changes Boynton truly helps the reader sense the emotions of the animals. Besides the illustrations, Boynton's text also helps the reader enjoy this book. She starts the book off with a bear who talks directly to the reader. By doing so, Boynton has the reader invested in the story from the first page and the question the bear poses helps the reader quickly relate to the animals in the story. Boynton's text is written in a very friendly, conversational way and involves some humor (in the middle with the frazzled thing and at the end with the duck).
This book would be useful when teaching… This book could be used in a kindergarten class when teaching students about different emotions. The teacher could read the story as a read aloud to the students and have a booktalk about all the different emotions Boynton involves in the story.
This book could also be used in a second or third grade class when teaching about expensive words the students can use in their writing. The teacher can teach the students in a mini lesson that they can involve words such as terrific, confused, amused, etc. when writing.