BEA 2006

Elliot signed copy after copy of the forthcoming There Was a Little Girl, She Had a Little Curl at BEA 2006 in Washington, D.C.

Blue Apple in Kirkus Reviews, May 1st issue

Bigger Than Daddy
Ziefert enters Charlotte Zolotow territory with an intimate give-and-take between little Edward, who wishes he were bigger, and his father as they walk home from the playground, engage in a bit of playful role reversal ("You've been a bad boy," said Edward. "And you haven't finished your juice.") and then get ready for bed. In distinctly childlike crayon-and-cut-paper pictures, Kreloff depicts the pair with light brown skin, frizzy hair and smiles. Young readers and listeners, whether from single-parent households like this or otherwise, will smile too. (Picture book. 4-6)

Me! Me! ABC
In a terse alphabet for the self-absorbed, Bergen digitally adds on occasional background or detail to 26 close-up views of the vinyl animal characters she manufactures, which appear with such demanding captions as "Admire me," "Buckle me," "E-mail me," "Gimme!," "Kiss me," and "Pay attention to me." This last sums up the whole message here, which is certainly one that most preschoolers will enthusiastically endorse. But with oversize heads atop tiny bodies and eyes made from big, sewn-on circles, the dolls look grotesque rather than cute, especially when blown up to nearly full-page size, and lines like "obey me" and "Untie me" add a kinky flavor more suitable for sharing among adults. Use selectively.

Review for Bigger Than Daddy in Booklist

April 1, 2006 issue of Booklist:
Ziefert, Harriet. Bigger than Daddy. Illus. by Elliot Kreloff. May 2006. 36p. Blue Apple, $15.95 (1-59354-147-3).
PreS. Young Edward accompanies his dad to the park, and then they walk home together, play, and have dinner before Edward has a bath and is tucked into bed. Along the way, Edward constantly demands the chance to engage in grown-up activities, ranging from the doable (pressing the elevator button) to the less doable (outrunning a big red fire truck). Ziefert ably captures the teasing affection between a young preschool boy and his dad. The simple, appealing language shows the humor, energy, and bossiness of the young child, while the father’s love for his son also shines through. Kreloff’s colorful, childlike, crayon-and-collage illustrations convey Edward’s exuberance and the story’s humor. Parents will recognize Edward’s many familiar lines, while children will appreciate his frustrations and the spirited way that he deals with them. Pair this with the titles featured in the Read-alikes column “A Day with Dad,” in the June 2005 issue of Booklist. —Todd Morning