Up Hamster, Down Hamster

by Kass Reich

Overview

A cheerful board book that is sure to produce some giggles and make learning opposites fun.

Following the success of her two bestselling board books Hamsters Holding Hands and This Little Hamster, Kass Reich once again presents her signature dumpling-shaped hamsters. This time, the adorable critters demonstrate various opposites, from in and out to day and night, with some unexpected surprises!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459810150
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	09/15/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	24
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	3 Months to 2 Years

About the Author

Kass Reich was born in Montreal, Québec. She works as an artist and educator and has spent most of the last decade traveling and living abroad. Kass graduated with a degree in Art Education from Concordia University. She currently lives in Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/03/2015
The irrepressible rodents from Hamsters Holding Hands and This Little Hamster return to showcase opposites, and their antics should have children giggling from start to finish. A hungry “yes hamster” reacts with delight when a hamster chef lifts a cloche to reveal a slice of cake; the same diner becomes a “no hamster” on the facing page, where the chef has cooked up something green and smelly. Elsewhere, a “good” artist hamster turns “bad” when he decides to draw on his friends instead of on paper. Reich’s loosely outlined ovoid hamsters are full of energy and mischievousness, day or night, fast or slow, up or down. Up to age 3. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Colourful and chewworthy! The cute little hamsters show opposites like fast/slow, up/down and in/out. The pictures are funny, informative and colourful. This book will make a great addition to any
home or public library."

Resource Links

"A worthy purchase for libraries serving this preschool audience. Parents should also consider it as a home purchase."

CM Magazine

01/01/2016
Toddler-PreS—A simple opposite book gets a comedic kick with the addition of a group of charming hamsters. Straightforward concepts like "up and down" are complemented by more complex pairings, such as "lost and found." Each spread features cartoon-style drawings colored digitally in cheerful pastel hues. The facial expressions of each costume-wearing little rodent add humor.

School Library Journal

2015-08-12
Hamsters demonstrate opposites in this new board book. The back cover proclaims, "Hamsters love their opposites!" but there is not much to love about this slight overview of contrasting pairs strung together with a visual narrative arc set at what appears to be a summer camp. The pages are sturdy and the hamsters are cute, but that's not enough to make anyone fall in love. Health-conscious readers may take exception to one of Reich's choices. She illustrates "YES" with a piece of cake and "NO" with a steaming bowl of greens—hardly a positive message to give children about vegetables. The most original pairing is "SHHH hamster / SHOUT hamster," in which one reading hamster decides to make a ruckus and disturb two other peaceful hamsters. After a speedy romp through the day culminating with "DAY hamster" (three hamsters float in a canoe) and "Night hamster" (three hamsters toast marshmallows), the story ends abruptly with "Out like a light HAMSTERS." The last four pages feel like filler: all eight hamsters are seen smiling in a line, followed by the copyright information on the last interior page and then, on the inside back cover, repeated images of six objects seen earlier in the book. For a genuinely engaging hamster adventure (for slightly older children), pick up Peggy Rathman's 10 Minutes Till Bedtime (1998)—an exact opposite of this weak offering. (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews