A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot.
Little ones learn about bugs.
The world of insects and like small creatures is the focus of this sturdy board book. Each turn of the page gives readers a close view of a particular habitat. The text asks, “Where’s the ladybug?” or “Where’s the snail?” and little ones are encouraged to find the creatures under shaped felt flaps. A caterpillar poses under a leaf with a few bites taken out of it; a bumblebee flies behind a pink tulip. The flaps are made of a reasonably strong material, secured tightly within the book’s pages. Extremely determined readers may figure out a way to pull the flaps out, but most will enjoy flipping them up and over with ease. The last page of the book contains a mirror hidden behind a bush-shaped flap, and readers are asked “And where are you?” The insects smile with big eyes and are composed of large, circular, clean-edged shapes. The color palette is dulled, making the neon flaps pop effectively for little readers. Concurrently publishing companion Where’s the Giraffe? explores the world of jungle animals.
A lovely, simple lift-the-flap book that will stand the test of many a mighty tot. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9335-0
Page Count: 10
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
A colorfully rambunctious book to expand a little one’s vocabulary and vocal stylings.
Pets spring to life in a noisy lift-the-flap book.
Little readers love animals, and this large board book is dedicated to teaching basic attributes of the most common animals in baby literature. “Cats love to climb. They sleep everywhere.” Pictured alongside the basic text are photos of real kitties digitally collaged into illustrated backgrounds. Each double-page spread features a flap on the right side. When little ones lift the flap, a sensor sets off the book’s interior speaker. The sounds are all of good quality, and the battery is long-lasting. Adults may get a little worn down by repeated barking, meowing, and tweeting, but the target audience will adore it. A concurrently published title, Noisy Playhouse Peekaboo!, uses the same structure to explore the common items found in a house and boasts the sounds of a washing machine, kitchen clock, and radio. Both books are sturdily bound with securely fixed flaps that should stand up to all but the mightiest of toddlers. The illustrations use rounded shapes and a primary color palette to pull young readers in.
A colorfully rambunctious book to expand a little one’s vocabulary and vocal stylings. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4654-4407-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
A cute but not noteworthy journey into the ocean.
A smiling clownfish shows off its underwater home.
“Dive into the sea! Let’s meet my friends. / There’s so much to see. The fun never ends.” And thus begins a journey deep into the ocean led by a small clownfish that looks enough like a certain famous fish to catch children’s eyes but not so much that corporate lawyers will come calling. A large star shape cut out of the middle of the cover and framing the clownfish on recto is each page’s focal point, dwindling in size until it disappears for the final one. This gimmick doesn’t add much to the book, which is a fairly typical, generic tour of the ocean. Little readers will encounter grinning sharks, crabs, dolphins, whales, and other aquatic life that is par for the course for undersea board books. “Par for the course” pretty much describes the effort as a whole. The animal life is rendered as rounded, smiling figures, with greens, oranges, and purples popping them out of the blue background. Readers seeking verisimilitude will be maddened by the grinning faces drawn arbitrarily on crabs’ carapaces and jellyfish bodies.
A cute but not noteworthy journey into the ocean. (Board book. 1-2)Pub Date: May 24, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0297-9
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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