PHOEBE'S POCKETS

Imaginations soar during immersive play.

Phoebe, a brown-skinned girl with curly dark hair, clad in a red shirt and blue overalls, is celebrating her 3rd birthday. She dreams of spending her special day with her toys (“friends as small as can be”). But first she must locate them! As she walks, crawls, and scoots her way through a farm, a garden, a museum, and a toy shop, she collects her covert chums, placing them in her deep pockets. Eventually, friends all found, Phoebe’s heart is full as she realizes that this is “the sweetest way for [her] birthday to end.” Each spread showcases a pocket on Phoebe’s overalls where a press-out version of each toy (located at the back of the book) can be placed along the way. Robert’s text flows well, using repetition and rhyme to encourage imaginative play. Giordano’s blocky, geometric art is bustling with color and activity; several spreads are quite busy, making the seek-and-find task difficult. In addition, Phoebe’s toys are identified only by their name, not by what they look like, making it initially unclear what readers are supposed to be looking for (toy names are matched with pictures at the end). While young readers who tend to follow their own path may not be concerned about finding the right pal for each pocket, those who adhere to the rules set before them may become frustrated.

Misses its mark as a seek-and-find tale but should still spark readers’ interest.