GIVE AND TAKE

Placing big, die-cut geometric shapes into appropriately shaped niches reinforces several simple concepts in this minimalist import.

Sandwiched between printed instructions in the front and a pointed suggestion on the rear cover that this is not meant to be given to unsupervised children are seven brightly colored circles, squares, and other shapes cut into heavy board. Each of these is supposed to be pulled out of its slot and then inserted in a niche on the verso. Each comes with a one- or two-word caption: “TAKE” the red ball, for instance, and “GIVE” it to a hand on the other side of the page. The art is done with utmost simplicity, but there are some visual surprises (“OPEN” the diamond-shaped top of a box, and a small mouse peeps out) along the way to two red hemispheres that are “PUT BACK TOGETHER!” into the same red ball that started the book—now an apple. Users are then invited to play their way back to the beginning so that the removable parts are in their original positions and ready for another run-through. The conceptual pairs don’t work in reverse, but it’s a clever ploy.

Simple exercises to enhance fine-motor development and build shape recognition.