Zero Kisses for Me

PreS-K—In this dialogue between a mother and child, a young bear complains about too many kisses, too much mushy language, and too many sweet nicknames from Mama and the rest of the family. By the end of the conversation the youngster has banned good-night kisses from the bedtime routine. Mama complies with her youngster's request, but informs her cub that she really likes giving kisses. When the little one gets scared of the dark, it is only "bunches and bunches" of Mama's kisses that make everything better. While Monari honestly depicts a phase many children go through and Soumagnac's cartoons (complete with anthropomorphic kisses) are playful, the choice of a predominantly pink palette makes this Italian import a potential shelf-sitter. This color seems to turn off many boys, who might otherwise be the demographic for such a book.—Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY