READING TIME!

A fold-out board book designed for infant tummy time or reading with a caregiver.

Bold images and a simple palette make for a baby-friendly book. Each page is labeled with a simple word (cat, car, teddy, train) that might be familiar or of interest to little ones, accompanied by a simple, pared-down image and rhyming text. Bouncy, repetitive verse includes references to sounds (“beep beep!” “chugga-chugga”). On one page, there’s a mirror, and the text leaves blank spots for caregivers to insert a child’s name (“I see _____ / _____ sees me!”)—a nice touch, especially given that mirrors are high-interest objects for babies. Besides black and white, the only other colors used in the book are green, yellow, red, and blue, no shades or variations, a fitting palette for infants. Unlike similar board books, this one does more than simply label images. The words are fun to say and hear, encouraging listening and learning, an important step for babies as they acquire language. The fold-out feature makes the title multipurpose and playful and allows for touching and manipulating as the baby grows older. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Will help cultivate meaningful first reading experiences.