Hamsters Holding Hands

Starred review from April 16, 2012
This charming counting book features spunky, pear-shaped hamsters (Need proof? Look no further than “Three hamsters with a pear”) engaging in simple yet unexpected fun: “Five hamsters playing nice/ Six hamsters eating rice.” Debut talent Reich brings subtle, off-kilter humor—with props like balloons, pinwheels, and snorkel gear—and an understated style to her spreads, with the hamsters’ citrus hues playfully smudged outside their outlines. It’s hard not to smile at images of the happy hamsters jumping rope or working on their tans. Up to age 3.

July 1, 2012
One lone hamster welcomes nine friends to join in on the fun in this offbeat romp. As the numbers count up from one to 10, the visual design presents a straightforward sequence. On the left-hand page, a large hand-drawn numeral appears above the simple text, which begins with the number spelled out. The right-hand page depicts the appropriate number of hamsters engaged in a variety of activities. Though the lines rhyme, there is little to no relationship from one to the next. "Three hamsters with a pear / Four hamsters in the air." The growing crowd of rodents interact in quirky fashion. Pudgy, soft characters strike unusual poses; they eat rice with chopsticks and bask in the sun. Smatterings of color extend outside the borders to emphasize the number and the animals' hues. Against light, lime-green backgrounds, their collective hamster-ness is emphasized over individuality. Their faces are most endearing when their quivering smiles are on display, but their open-mouthed expressions sometimes resemble a grimace. With visuals that far exceed the text in interest, this count-up is one disjointed trip. (Board book. 6 mos.-3)

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