Capitalizing on research on infant development, this handsome oversized board book features high-contrast black-on-white pieces of modern art. Julian Opie’s “Natasha,” a simple bust of a young woman, appears opposite Bridget Riley’s “Fragment 3,” an array of irregular, interlocking zigzags; Kazimir Malevich’s bold, simple “Black Cross” shares an opening with Damien Hirst’s “Hypovase Prazosin Hydrochloride,” a square field of gray and black dots. It’s an ambitious enterprise, but its lack of text poses some challenges. If the adult reader has the confidence to follow baby’s cues and hold off on page turns, it bids fair to be a terrific mutual experience. An accompanying frieze “for your nursery wall” gives baby an opportunity to enjoy the art one-on-one and provides additional information on each artist on the reverse. (3-18 mos.)
