LOOK OUTSIDE

Little ones learn about their environments.

Lots of different things can happen outside, and this board book provides a solid showcase. Each double-page spread depicts a different scene of people and places little readers might see outside. There are leaves blowing in the wind, clouds, snow, rain, and lots more. Basic descriptive text is positioned at the top of each scene, occasionally encouraging little ones to interact with it. After pointing out a brown-skinned mother-and-baby pair, the text suggests to readers, “Smile at the baby. Smile at her mommy.” The settings emphasize the pastoral, with spreading vistas of fields and forests rather than an urban environment. A concurrently published title, Big Cats, shows little readers lions, tigers, leopards, and other big cats. The formula is similar to Look Outside, employing keenly composed photographs of the cats and simple, straightforward text. While not an essential addition to a child’s bookshelf, these titles are smartly tuned to engage those with burgeoning curiosities in the respective fields.

A pleasant-enough exploration of the outside world.