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SQUARES

An engaging, visually appealing introduction to basic shapes, developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers.

Die-cut squares and rectangles form a variety of images as pages are turned, introducing little ones to the versatility of these basic shapes.

Three small squares become the windows of, in turn, a bus and a train. One square can be a book or a tea kettle (called here a “pot”). A rectangle turns into a door or a toy block. Two rectangles become candles or pencils. One small square is an ice cube or a segment of a chocolate bar, while four little squares can form a window or a gift-wrapped present. The final page asks readers to guess what a horizontal rectangle might be. Flipping to the back cover reveals it to be the opening of a mail box. (Though it is a red box on a post rather than the iconic U.S. Postal Service blue box, its use should be clear, with a bit of explanation.) Simple illustrations with bold lines and vivid colors combine with the die-cut squares and rectangles to encourage children to guess what these shapes might become and to recognize how they are part of larger images. Structured in a similar manner, Circles invites readers to explore the many different pictures that circles can contribute to, including an apple, an egg, a car with wheels, and more.

An engaging, visually appealing introduction to basic shapes, developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: April 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-988-8240-68-5

Page Count: 26

Publisher: minedition

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

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PEEKABOO REX!

From the Boynton on Board series

Peek, and you’ll find a rollicking romp here.

The favorite game of toddlers gets a dino twist.

A large dinosaur tries to outsmart a smaller companion when the duo play peekaboo together. The big dino naïvely believes they won’t be noticed behind or under sundry hiding places, but the little pal always finds their playmate. Young listeners will giggle as the large dino attempts to outwit the little one, but in vain; in every instance, the diminutive, overalls-clad dino calls out a triumphant “Peekaboo!” How come? Is it because thin tree trunks and a potted plant can’t conceal the large dino’s frame? Do the big dino’s bold, flower-print shirts stick out a mile? Even when the large dinosaur attempts an aerial hiding place, they discover that ruse doesn’t, ahem, fly, nor does hiding in a crowd wearing a Where’s Waldo?–esque red-striped cap and T-shirt do any good. In a display of good sportsmanship, the big dino concedes at the end the game was fun. The youngest audiences, all of whom will have likely engaged in marathon peekaboo sessions themselves, will undoubtedly scramble to play again. Besides stimulating playtime, this adorable board book, expressed in lilting rhymes, boosts vocabulary development through the use of some common prepositions (behind, in) and adverbs (here, there, everywhere). The illustrations are sweetly engaging; the round cutout on the front cover invites youngsters to play peekaboo games with adult partners and others. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Peek, and you’ll find a rollicking romp here. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-66592-840-3

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Boynton Bookworks

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022

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HELLO LAMB

It’s not exactly original, but the execution, with familiar, appealing Cabrera illustrations, is attractive and perfect for...

This simple board book invites little ones to greet baby farm animals (including frog, bunny, and bee) with their corresponding sounds.

The first double-page spread greets readers with a bright yellow smiling sun and the text “Hello, Sun. / Hello, Day. / Wake up, babies. / Time to play!” Each succeeding spread has a distinct, gently patterned background, with very brief text on the verso (“Hello Puppy! / Woof Woof”). Filling up the recto is a vibrant illustration of the baby animal’s face, wide eyed and smiling, outlined in black. The final spread presents the face of a cute baby with chalky brown-gray skin, bright black eyes, and short black hair: “Goo Goo.” Babies and toddlers will enjoy looking at the baby faces, animals and human, and repeating the sounds. A companion book, Goodnight Bear, has a similar pattern of text and illustrations, though the palette is suitably darker. The moon, surprisingly, has its eyes shut, and succeeding spreads depict an owlet, a baby bat, a baby hedgehog, and other familiar nocturnal baby animals, all wide-awake and smiling. The final spread depicts a cute baby with pale skin, blond hair, and closed eyes.

It’s not exactly original, but the execution, with familiar, appealing Cabrera illustrations, is attractive and perfect for the target audience. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4998-0430-0

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Little Bee Books

Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017

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