Up, Up, Up, Down!

by Kimberly Gee, Kimberly Gee (Illustrator)

Overview

This action-packed toddler's day with Dad is full of opposites—and now in board!

From his first demand to be picked up and then immediately put down, opposites pop up all day long for this energetic boy. Breakfast is no, no, no, yes! At the sandbox, it's make, make, make, break! And jumping into the pool goes from can't, can't, can't, to can!

Kimberly Gee's expressive illustrations emphasize the loving connection between a boy and his father in this clever concept book about everyday highs and lows is now in sturdy board, ready to become a staple in toddlers' hands and bookshelves'.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525517337
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/07/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD80L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

One day when Kimberly Gee's twins were toddlers, she was getting them ready to leave the house. She might have been a tiny bit pressed for time. She might have encouraged the twins to HURRY—about a dozen times or so. Then, just as she opened the front door, they ran out of the house! "SLOW DOWN!" she called. The twins turned and gave her a look that said, Didn't you tell us to hurry? This made Kimberly notice that a toddler's day is full of opposites (and the parents' day, too!). Chuckling over the joy (and work!) of those toddler-rearing days inspired her to create this book. Kimberly is the author-illustrator of Mad, Mad Bear! and Today with Meg and Ted, and the illustrator of The Class (by Boni Ashburn). She lives in Claremont, California, with her twins and their dad.

Editorial Reviews

Opposites loom large for babies, and Gee brings the concept to adorable life.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

2019-02-17

A toddler lives through a day full of opposing directives with their stay-at-home dad.

A page of vignettes showing the tot waking, attempting to scale the crib rails, and being picked up by dad accompany large, baby-blue lettering: "Up, up, up!" On the facing page, the child squirms out of dad's arms toward a toy on the ground; larger lettering says "Down!" And so continues their day, the tyke miming, "No, no, no," to oatmeal, toast, and eggs, then gobbling up blueberries ("yes!"). Clothes go "on, on, on" as dad dresses the child—then all are suddenly "off." Dad exhorts offspring to "hurry, hurry, hurry" in order to get out of the house, then, in a full spread, calls, "slow down!" as the chortling child runs merrily away from the house, toward the sidewalk. After swim lessons, treats, and fun at home with dad, mom comes home, briefcase in hand, and snuggles with baby as dad conks out in a chair: "All done." The family is black. Toddler and father both wear faded haircuts, and each family member is essentially the same shade of light brown. The parts of this day will be familiar to parents and children alike. The simple lines and soft colors are soothing to the eye, though bolder colors might be more attractive to the younger set.

A fresh take on opposites and routines for the very young. (Picture book. 1-4)

Kirkus Reviews

"For all collections serving the impetuous, contradictory, joyful, exploratory board book crowd. . . This book may have been born as a picture book, but its true self suits the sturdier format perfectly." -School Library Journal, starred review of the board book edition


"A toddler lives through a day full of opposing directives with their stay-at-home dad. . . The parts of this day will be familiar to parents and children alike. . . A fresh take on opposites and routines for the very young." -Kirkus Reviews

“Opposites loom large for babies, and Gee brings the concept to adorable life. Her action-packed visual vignettes refreshingly feature a brown-skinned baby and caretaker dad who dramatize the obvious (‘no’ and ‘yes’) and the more subtle (‘yay’ and ‘uh oh’). Her touch is feather-light, with many telling details to spot.”  -The New York Times

"This opposites book follows one active brown-skinned toddler and stay-at-home-father throughout a busy, fun-filled day. . . When Mom gets home from work, the family's love and contentment is further underscored by a book-and-snuggle time while caregiver Dad takes a much-needed load off - next to a pile of laundry, because a parent's job is never done." -The Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 09/03/2021

Baby-Toddler—Here's the ICYMI moment, to spotlight a book in a new format that makes too much sense to ignore. This recent picture book gets a makeover as a sturdy board book. Why does it matter? The vocabulary is ideal for toddlers: "Up, up, up! Down!" perfectly captions scenes of a small brown baby wishing to be lifted by the father, but who sees something on the floor and must investigate immediately. The opposites continue: "No, no no…yes!" to food on the high chair, and nothing has changed but the baby's choice. This book may have been born as a picture book, but its true self suits the sturdier format perfectly. VERDICT For all collections serving the impetuous, contradictory, joyful, exploratory board book crowd.—Kimberly Olson Fakih, School Library Journal

School Library Journal