Little Green [Board book]

Keith Baker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Age Level: 2 and up

A little green hummingbird is flying through a sunny garden, leaving a path for sharp eyes to follow. A young artist is watching--and painting what he sees. With his playful, rhyming text and vibrant collage illustrations, Keith Baker captures all the energy and excitement of a hummingbird's flight in this engaging board book just right for little ones.

(20050401)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The ruby-throated hummingbird takes center stage in Baker's (Quack and Count) gorgeous full-bleed spreads of cut- paper collage. "Little Green" is the nickname given the bird by the narrator, an aspiring young artist who raptly follows the flitting creature from his desk by an open window: "I see you out there, Little Green/ In the flowers and between,/ Zipping round and round and round,/ Jigging, jagging, down up down." For much of the book, however, Baker leaves the painter behind, concentrating instead on the graceful bird as it siphons nectar from the flowers or quenches its thirst with a single drop of water from a garden hose. The collages glow with a lovely translucence that captures the feel of a sunlit garden and the evanescence of the hummingbird's mesmerizing movements (a few swift strokes of white telegraph the rapid beating of the bird's emerald wings). Subtle touches prove that Baker knows his audience: a caterpillar appears in every illustration, and the hero's brushstrokes record the bird's flight patterns. In the final pages, Baker gives his narrator a reward: the bird hovers right outside the window, pausing long enough to discern that the protagonist's scarlet paintbrush is not another flower. The fellow covers his mouth in amazement, but his wide-eyed look speaks volumes about the thrill of being so close to one of nature's wonders. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreS-A boy with paints, paper, and a paintbrush in hand watches a small green hummingbird as it darts here and there, drinking nectar from the flowers outside his window. The rhyming text describes the hummingbird's journey in a few brief words. At the end, the boy says, "I wonder if you see me, too? Well, I've been busy watching you-And painting how you flew and flew!" The last illustration shows the boy's canvas, with curlicues and jagged lines and loops representing the bird's flight. Baker is an interesting and inspired artist who employs varied techniques in his work. Here, he has used colorful cut-paper collage in a style somewhat reminiscent of the work of Denise Fleming. In addition to the frenetic motion of Little Green, a tiny caterpillar also appears on each spread, observing the proceedings. The end result is a bright and beautiful book with a rather slight story. Libraries that can use a striking book on hummingbirds should definitely consider it. It also might provide some impetus to beginning artists, but it is not an essential purchase.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Board book: 30 pages
• Publisher: HMH Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152053085
• ISBN-13: 978-0152053086
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

KEITH BAKER is the author-illustrator of many beloved picture books, including Little Green, Hide and Snake, and Quack and Count. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful book!, October 24, 2005

By 

T. Habeck-Turek (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Little Green (Board book)

A beautiful little book to add to any collection. I bought this for my four-month old and he loves to look at the colorful pages. The words introduce rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration magically. An older toddler would also enjoy trying to find the caterpillar hidden among all the pages!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars cute, April 9, 2005

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Little Green (Board book)

This is about a little boy who is looking out his window to get inspiration for a painting. He sees a hummingbird. The bird is very quick. We see him fly from place to place all over the garden/

The pages are made of stiff board like paper making it easy for little hands to turn.

I would recommend this book to parents and caregivers of kids ages birth to 3. Parents and children will enjoy looking for the hidden caterpillar on each page.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite, October 12, 2011

By 

Lee (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Green (Hardcover)

This has been my daughter's favorite book since she was a baby. She's now 18-months-old and brings it to me to read again and again. She likes it when my finger traces the path of the bird flying on each page.