Pajama Press

“Jane Whittingham’s story of an animated little girl’s day is bursting with playful energy and joy….The story is fun to read with children as it is written with rhyming couplets which, along with the illustrations, may help children guess what the next animal will be. The delightful illustrations by Noel Tuazon are presented in watercolour and ink. They are as spontaneous and whimsical as the little girl’s character and help tell the story of her very busy day by their expression of energy in colour and movement….Wild One is quite durable as it has a padded cover, rounded corners and extra heavy interior paper. Great for little ones who may not be quite so gentle with books just yet….Highly Recommended.”
—Tamara Opar

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“We rated this book: [5/5] Wild One is a rhyming picture book for bedtime….The book is fun to read to yourself, and the words are easy, and it’s probably a good book for a parent to read to a little child because of the rhymes and rhythmic repetition of ‘wild one’ at the beginning of every sentence. The illustrations are cute and colorfully painted with watercolors….Any beginning reader who likes animals and likes to play outside will enjoy this book.”
—Lena, Age 9

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“The delightful watercolour illustrations draw the reader (or young child) into the story, and the action is enhanced by the simple rhyming couplets. The story is a celebration of childhood and all the uninhibited movement and excitement that being a young child brings….The simple, yet carefully crafted lines are rhythmic and just beg to be read aloud and acted out….

My three youngsters (aged 3, 3, & 4) really loved acting out the animals mentioned in this book. It is a great bedtime round-up book to start our process into settling down for sleep. They were eager to gather to act out and make the sounds of the animals and worked the last of their wiggles (and giggles!) out in preparation for our next (quieter) book before songs, prayers and lights out. The last animal depicted is a bear, snuggling in for the night, and at this point in the story I have the kids jump into bed and mimic the snuggling. In the weeks that we’ve had this new title, they have each asked for it to be read umpteen times – a sure sign of a fave book.”
—Erin

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“This sweet picture book is sure to entertain tiny tots with its gentle rhyming couplets outlining one little girl’s perfect day at the playground and pool.”
—Sheri Radford

Read the full review on page 26 of the March-April 2018 issue of Where Vancouver

“Rating: E…The illustrations elevate the simple rhythmic text by showing the child on each succeeding page as the very animal she is imitating with great charm. The watercolour and ink drawings are delightful, appealing and beautifully done. Thematic Links: Imagination; Play; Bedtime”
—Isobel Lang

Read the full review on page 46 of the February 2018 issue of Resource Links Magazine

“What a sweet, sweet story!…Highly recommended for public and school libraries, as well as a gift for the younger children in your life. I will be using for a read aloud in my 4-year-old kindergarten classes once I can get a copy for my library and will be buying as a gift for many little girls in the future.”

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“The turn of a page allows readers to predict the next animal comparison, and ink-and-watercolor illustrations record her play with busy movement….VERDICT A recommended general purchase, this read-aloud choice fosters inference and opportunity for shared reading in home or preschool.”
—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Read the full review in the February 2018 issue of School Library Journal

“Wild One by Jane Whittingham and illustrated by Noel Tuazon is just adorable….

Rhyming stories are notoriously difficult to pull off well without seeming forced; most publishers won’t touch them. Here, they flow – and still manage to surprise….Whittingham’s smooth rhyme and consistent rhythm are beautifully matched with the illustrations. Tuazon catches the expressions of a child on adventure just so, and his animals make this reader smile with every page. (That whale!) The watercolours brighten the page while suggesting the blending of everyday and imagination – watercolours, like Let’s Pretend and other imaginative games, never truly stay within the lines.

The endpages are gorgeous.”

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“Canadian librarian and writer Jane Whittingham and Canadian illustrator Noel Tuazon have teamed up to bring readers the exuberant, fun and all-around winning picture book Wild One. Written in rhyming couplets- a form in picture books I absolutely adore when done fittingly – Wild One tells the story of a young girl’s very busy, very active day, with actions mirroring those of animals. Accompanied by Noel Tuazon’s soft yet sunny and bright illustrations, Wild One is a lovely treat….

Overall, a joyful, fun and charming picture book. Perfect for a preschool age and under crowd, I think Wild One would go over tremendously well as a read aloud with busy, wiggly and active toddlers. It could even be used by a willing reader to facilitate an action/movement read aloud with everyone acting out the animal movements in the story! Wild One is a picture book that begs for reading aloud and having fun with, due its ideal compact length, clarity, perfectly fun rhymes, and complementary (adorable) illustrations.”

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Wild One by Jane Whittingham and illustrator Noel Tuazon has been selected for the Toronto Public Library’s 2017 First and Best list.

The First and Best list is Toronto Public Library’s “top picks of the best Canadian children’s books for building reading readiness in kids under five.” Click here to see all the First and Best selections of 2017.