Goo-goo gaga for graphic design

All the artsiest toddlers (and their parents) will be clamoring for these “coffee table board books” published by Appleseed, a new Abrams imprint catering to aesthetics-minded birth-to-five-year-olds.

French import Hippopposites (May) by Janik Coat brings the hip to opposites books. In every spread, a pair of hippos demonstrates the featured concept. The old standbys are there (small/large, light/dark), alongside less common concepts like full/empty, dotted/striped, clear/blurry, etc. Soft/rough adds a tactile element, while opaque/transparent, positive/negative, and front (full-on view of hippo)/side (a thin vertical line) sneak in some art- and color-theory.

Think yellow is a yawn and purple’s passé? Look to Pantone Colors (March) for raincoat, French fry, and giraffe yellow; rhubarb, mulberry, and velvet purple. Right-hand pages show the conventional color names while left-hand pages are made up of sample squares straight from the Pantone book.

Less mod but just as design-y are My Birdie and My Bunny (both March), illustrated by Jessie Ford. These “puzzle book” board books feature four removable pieces that fit back together to make a little picture. Cute animals, sturdy pages, and puzzle pieces: my two-year-old will be in heaven.