A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young

Toddler-PreS--This collection of silly rhymes and poems is sure to please the prereading crowd. Most of the entries are a page or less, and although they are often nonsense, they are notable for their joyful rhymes and bouncy rhythm. The text often echoes the style of traditional nursery rhymes, working with nonsense words and made-up characters to bring fun and action to poetry. The illustrations are large and playful and vary in style from very realistic to out of this world but will surely appeal to babies and toddlers. The large format makes this title good for sharing, and children will likely find favorite poems that they will wish to hear again and again. VERDICT An excellent choice for prereaders and very young children, as well as anyone with a love for nursery rhymes.--Ellen Norton, Naperville Public Library, Naperville, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

This collection of silly rhymes and poems is sure to please the prereading crowd...An excellent choice for prereaders and very young children, as well as anyone with a love for nursery rhymes
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Riddell's fluid watercolor-and-pencil illustrations bring a grace to each poem, no matter what its subject, and he depicts many ethnicities of children...Despite (or perhaps because of) the odd bits, this book successfully celebrates the private, gleeful, imaginative world of toddlers.
—Kirkus Reviews

Nonsense words and jaunty rhymes pack the oversize pages of this beautifully illustrated collection of poems...Preschoolers probably won't sit still for the entire collection at once, but individual selections are likely to get them moving to the lively beat.
—Booklist

As for A Great Big Cuddle, don't be surprised if your copy of the book becomes the most tattered collection of poetry in your home. That's okay. The most loved become the most well-worn.
—Kirkus Reviews

The oversized volume is beautifully designed and laid out, and at his best Rosen writes with echoes of great childhood poets such as Milne (as in the domestic simplicity of "Coming Home") and Lear (in the nonsensical joys of "Once").
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books