HIDE-AND-SLEEP

This split-paged book with a tall trim encourages the youngest readers to look closely at the forest and meadow scenes.

Every other leaf is intentionally sliced in two a little over halfway down the page, encouraging readers to play a game of hide-and-seek and search for critters behind trees, flowers, sloping hills, rocks, and more. When the page or pages are turned, more creatures (everything from fish to a squirrel) reveal themselves, and readers can make three different double-page spreads out of two. Gentle, two-word phrases caption the endearing images: “Turtle peeks” and “Raccoon sneaks.” In the bottom of every recto is the question: “Who is hiding?” In the penultimate pages, Boyd reveals that “No one!” was hiding and, then, after the sun goes down, depicts “Everyone!” sleeping except for a hooting owl. The true stars here are Boyd’s friendly, stylized images in rich colors, both cool and warm, bejeweled with an array of simple shapes and patterns. The split pages may not offer enough variety when turned for a true hide-and-seek experience, but their rounded corners are a thoughtful detail for the littlest readers.

The lively interiors belie the word “Sleep” in the title; this is high-energy fun.