Say & Play: Baby Animals
Sterling    28 pp.
8/12    978-1-4027-9890-0    $4.95

Say & Play: Colors
Sterling    28 pp.
8/12    978-1-4027-9892-4    $4.95

Say & Play: First Words
Sterling    28 pp.
10/12    978-1-4027-9893-1    $4.95

Say & Play: Numbers
Sterling    28 pp.
10/12    978-1-4027-9891-7    $4.95

Say & Play: Oink, Moo, Meow
Sterling    28 pp.
10/12    978-1-4027-9889-4    $4.95

Say & Play: Things That Go
Sterling    28 pp.
8/12    978-1-4027-9894-8    $4.95

Perfectly suited for “point and say” sharing, these six companion volumes feature clearly identified and cleanly photographed images laid out on generous white backgrounds. Compared to many titles on the board book shelves that are packed with pictures and cluttered by complicated layouts, this series stands out as a model of calm, simplicity. Several of the images are used across the series — the distinctive green car in First Words is also found in Numbers, as are the plaid shoes and the rubber ducks. This use of repeated images is likely to be noted and enjoyed by attentive toddlers.

1-2-3 Dinosaurs Bite!: A Prehistoric Counting Book
by the American Museum of Natural History; illus. by Steve Jenkins
Sterling    18 pp.
10/12    978-1-4027-7722-6    $6.95

Jagged bites taken out of the pages provide young dinosaur lovers with a tactile shiver as they count through this dangerous (but delightful) collection of prehistoric beasts. Adult readers will appreciate the pronunciation guide for each of the five featured dinosaurs. More noteworthy however, is the book’s back matter — which includes age-appropriate information on what the dinosaurs really ate and a one-to-ten review of items within the illustrations that can be counted. This title is an impressive introduction to nonfiction for the board book set.

Spot the Animals: A Lift-the-Flap Book of Colors
by the American Museum of Natural History; illus. by Steve Jenkins
Sterling    16 pp.
10/12    978-1-4027-7723-3    $6.95

Like 1-2-3 Dinosaurs Bite!, this collaboration between Steve Jenkins and the American Museum of Natural History is notable for both its art and its science. For all six animals depicted, answering an introductory question (example: “Can you spot the green animal?”) and then lifting an often-leaf-shaped flap to see the answer underneath (a snake) will be wonderfully engaging. But that engagement is enhanced with additional information, shown in smaller type, about the hidden animal. The art — colorful and multi-layered collage illustrations — adds context and content. This pattern of general information followed by more detailed facts continues throughout as readers also meet a crab, a bug, a fish, a penguin, and a butterfly.

Cinderella: Les Petits Fairytales
by Trixie Belle and Melissa Caruso-Scott; illus. by Oliver Lake
Holt    26 pp.
10/12    978-0-8050-9624-8    $7.99

With surprising brevity, the authors and illustrator provide a complete, and completely satisfying, retelling of “Cinderella.” Using a total of only eighteen words and never more than four words per spread, the text conveys the essence of the story while leaving plenty of room for embellishment and reader/listener conversation. The artistic style, particularly the over-sized heads of the characters, gives the title a contemporary flavor, and the restrained sprinkle of glitter on the cover is sure to appeal to young aspiring royals.

Everything Goes: 123 Beep Beep Beep!: A Counting Book
by Brian Biggs; illus. by the author
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins    24 pp.
1/13    978-0-06-195812-0    $7.99

Stylized cartoon illustrations and an unexpected assortment of vehicles bring a unique charm to this counting book. While the one bus and three fire trucks might be expected, the five taxis, six food trucks and eight compact cars add an urban flavor to the mix, as does the one “big traffic jam” that concludes the volume. The illustrations are clear enough that the vehicles are easily identified but return visits and careful examination reveal numerous clever details. (For youngsters interested in anything with wheels, the companion title Everything Goes: Stop! Go!: A Book of Opposites is also recommended.)

Meeow and the Big Box
by Sebastien Braun; illus. by the author
Boxer    26 pp.
9/12    978-1-907152-88-7    $6.95

Meeow, a little black cat with a penchant for imaginative play, is a wonderful stand-in for many an active young child. An observant narrator describes the transformation of a big brown box into a bright red fire engine by the creative and “clever Meeow.” Simple drawings, saturated color, and generously sized type give the book a bold and inviting look. Meeow and friends are featured in three equally appealing companion titles that are likely to inspire playful reenactments: Meeow and the Little Chairs, Meeow and the Blue Table, and Meeow and the Pots and Pans.

Colores Everywhere!: Colors in English y Español
edited and designed by Madeleine Budnick; photos by Peggy Tenison
Trinity University Press    20 pp.
12/12    978-1-59534-139-6    $7.95

Hello, Círculos!: Shapes in English y Español
edited and designed by Madeleine Budnick; photos by Peggy Tenison
Trinity University Press    20 pp.
12/12    978-1-59534-140-2    $7.95

As did the earlier publication 1, 2, 3, Sí! (2011), these two bilingual concept books bring works of art from the San Antonio Museum of Art’s collection to a young audience. In addition to identifying the colors and shapes found in the illustrations, each spread includes, in smaller type and in both languages, a question intended to spark conversation. For example, the yellow/amarillo dish from China asks the child to find the dragons hiding among the decorations; the square/cuadrado painting by Frank Stella asks the child to identify the smallest square. Back matter provides detailed information about each piece of art.

Baby ABC
by Deborah Donenfeld
Dial    24 pp.
1/13    978-0803739734    $6.99

This stylish alphabet book is populated with babies photographed in muted black and white. Pops of color are added to highlight the items the babies are holding, wearing, or using to represent each of the letters — the B baby wears bright yellow boots, the L baby is holding (and tasting) an olive green leaf, the X baby is playing a multicolored xylophone. Although all the babies don’t appear to be blond and blue-eyed, some additional diversity would have been a nice touch. Still, it is hard to quibble with a book so successful at depicting the alphabet and so sophisticated in its design. (A companion counting book, Baby 123, was not seen.)

Duck and Goose: Goose Needs a Hug
by Tad Hills; illus. by the author
Schwartz & Wade/Random    22 pp.
12/12    978-0-307-98293-3    $6.99

Hills brings his familiar cast of avian characters to another satisfying story. A forlorn-looking Goose is trying very hard to tell his friends what he needs, but they are sure they know just how to cheer him up. After trying hide-and-seek, a game of tag, standing on their heads, a splash in the puddle, and a happy song, they finally allow Goose to request his much-needed hug. The story concludes with a warm group embrace that has all four friends sighing with contentment.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault; illus. by Lois Ehlert
Little Simon    36 pp.
8/12    978-1-4424-5070-7    $7.99

A favorite of young children, parents, and preschool teachers since its original publication in 1989, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is now available in full in board book format. (A previous edition included only half the story.) Described as a “Classic Board Book,” this version contains the entire tale, from the trek up the tree through the pileup and rescue, to the letter A’s “dare double dare” in the moonlight. The final spread echoes the end pages of the trade edition with its colorful display of the entire alphabet in upper and lowercase.

Snow
by Uri Shulevitz; illus. by the author
Farrar    32 pp.
10/12    978-0-374-37093-0    $7.99

Neither the mood of Shulevitz’s story nor the magic of his illustrations is lost as this 1999 Caldecott Honor book is reissued in board book form. The optimistic anticipation and joyful exhilaration of “boy with dog” are undiminished by the smaller trim size. The young listener can still find that one tiny, all-important snowflake that begins the tale and will certainly delight in the transformative power of “snow, snow and snow” that brings the story to a close.

Polar Bear Night
by Lauren Thompson; illus. by Stephen Savage
Cartwheel/Scholastic    36 pp.
1/13    978-0-545-48558-6    $8.99

A young polar bear cub sets off alone on a quiet yet wonder-filled walk among sleeping animals and falling stars, only to return through the “keen, clear night” to snuggle into her “mother bear’s soft, warm fur.” This story of adventure and reunion is tailor-made for toddlers who are working hard to establish their independence without giving up their sense of security. The board book version maintains the emotional warmth of the original picture book text (2004) as well as the artistic integrity of its evocative illustrations.

This column is part of a series of twice-yearly roundups; see the first installment here. Don’t miss Viki Ash’s primer “What Makes a Good Board Book?” online and in the March/April 2010 Horn Book Magazine.

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Like Jennifer Adam and Alison Oliver’s BabyLit series, Les Petits Fairytales maintain that it’s never too early to introduce readers to the classics. Some might argue that these series are meant more for book-loving adults than children. The BabyLit books are pure concept books, exploring colors, numbers, and other primary concepts in the framework of classic stories (such as Pride & Prejudice and Moby-Dick). Even with this classic-lit context, the books don’t make much linear storytelling sense. Unlike the BabyLit titles, however, Les Petits Fairytales can be read as concept and story books and encourage child/adult interaction while introducing new concepts. In this way, I find the Les Petits Fairytales series is geared less towards literary-leaning parents and more towards the intended child audience.

I first fell for these books because of my love of all things fairy tale, but I appreciate them more after realizing what they have to offer beyond the cute gimmick. In addition to the books’ emphasis on interactivity, the glittery covers provide a nice touch-and-feel aspect, the bright colors are eye-catching, and the toddler-sized characters are relatable. I was pleased to discover that four more entries (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty) will be added in early May. I hope these new books live up to their predecessors.

What do you think of the Les Petits Fairytales series? Has anyone tried reading them with young children?

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Editors’ note: this inaugural column will be followed by twice-yearly roundups to be published on the Horn Book website, www.hbook.com — and don’t miss Viki Ash’s primer, “What Makes a Good Board Book?” online and in the March/April 2010 Horn Book Magazine.

My fascination with board books began in 1987 with a quartet of them by Helen Oxenbury: Clap Hands; All Fall Down; Tickle, Tickle; and Say Goodnight. At that time my niece Abby was a baby, and I read them repeatedly, and with great pleasure, to her. She is all grown up now and a middle-school language arts teacher, and I like to think those early board book experiences started her on the road to reading. It is that same hope that I bring to this inaugural board book roundup.

Whether you are selecting board books for a public library collection, a toddler daycare setting, or your own child (or grandchild), it is often difficult to know exactly what is available. In addition to the big publishing companies, there are any number of smaller houses that may have a few gems hidden in their catalogs. This roundup is an attempt to ease the search for recently published board books that are worthy of consideration. The reviews are brief—but then, so are the books!

Alice in Wonderland
by Jennifer Adams; illus. by Alison Oliver
Gibbs Smith 22 pp.
3/12 978-1-4236-2477-6 $9.99

Jane Eyre
by Jennifer Adams; illus. by Alison Oliver
Gibbs Smith 22 pp.
3/12 978-1-4236-2474-5 $9.99

Publishers and authors are aware of the need to create books that appeal not only to the very youngest child but to the adults who will be reading to him or her as well; these two board books are undoubtedly aimed at parents who majored in English literature. The Alice colors primer volume includes the expected white rabbit, pink flamingos, and red hearts. Counting book Jane works a little harder (and more cleverly) to depict one governess, four towers of Thornfield Hall, and eight drawings—including sketches of Adele, Mr. Rochester, and Pilot. Other entries in the Baby Lit series offer a wink and a nod to Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, Dracula, and A Christmas Carol.

Duck to the Rescue
by Jez Alborough; illus. by the author
Kane Miller 14 pp.
1/12 978-1-61067-080-7 $7.99

Duck’s Day Out
by Jez Alborough; illus. by the author
Kane Miller 14 pp.
1/12 978-1-61067-079-1 $7.99

Alborough’s familiar picture-book characters, Duck and Sheep, are introduced to an even younger audience in these two slight but engaging rhyming stories. In Duck to the Rescue, Sheep gets lost while driving to the fair. Duck’s attempts to redirect his friend go awry when Sheep’s jeep gets stuck in a mud puddle and he falls into a pond. Not to worry. Duck stands ready to drive a slightly dripping Sheep to the fair in his trusty truck. Duck’s Day Out finds the duo taking a boat trip that is great fun for Duck but a trial for Sheep. Again, though, Duck is ready to help, this time with a little snack and a ride home.

I Say, You Say Animal Sounds!
by Tad Carpenter; illus. by the author
LB Kids/Little, Brown 18 pp.
9/12 978-0-316-20073-8 $6.99

The fun here lies in a participatory text and oversize gatefolds. The art is colorful and not always realistic — the lion’s grassland is purple, and the duck’s green pond is situated on a field of blue grass. This whimsical break from realism won’t detract from the pleasure of the shared reading experience, however, and the whole joyful romp ends with a flap revealing all the featured animals and their sounds. A companion volume, I Say, You Say Opposites!, is equally enjoyable.

Colors
by Orla Kiely; illus. by the author
Holt 20 pp.
4/12 978-0-8050-9491-6 $9.99

Numbers
by Orla Kiely; illus. by the author
Holt 20 pp.
4/12 978-0-8050-9492-3 $9.99

The muted colors and patterned papers of these two stylish concept books have a sophisticated appeal that many will find a welcome change from the bold colors and cartoon illustrations often associated with board books. Several images are shared between the volumes — the red elephant of Colors becomes four elephants in Numbers. The same is true of the pears, the cups, and the flowers — a repetition that could become a playful exercise in visual discrimination.

I Can Do It Myself!
by Stephen Krensky; illus. by Sara Gillingham
Abrams Appleseed/Abrams 12 pp.
8/12 978-1-4197-0400-0 $6.95

Now I Am Big!
by Stephen Krensky; illus. by Sara Gillingham
Abrams Appleseed/Abrams 12 pp.
8/12 978-1-4197-0416-1 $6.95

Krensky celebrates the increasing independence of toddlers and their pride of accomplishment. The rhyming texts are accompanied by Gillingham’s retro illustrations that feature dots, spots, and crosshatching patterns. The less-than-saturated colors add a used-and-loved feel to the books that is sweetly nostalgic without being overly sentimental.

Trains Go
by Steve Light; illus. by the author
Chronicle 16 pp.
1/12 978-0-8118-7942-2 $8.99

Within a long and low trim size, Light illustrates seven noisy trains and one red caboose in a bold, impressionistic style. The design also features type in various sizes and angles that add to the energy of the volume. From the squeak, clang, ting, and bing of the freight train to the chugga, chugga, choooo of the big steam train, the text calls for a spirited reading — probably not at bedtime, though.

Pantone: Colors
by Pantone; illus. by Helen Dardik
Abrams Appleseed/Abrams 20 pp.
3/12 978-1-4197-0180-1 $9.95

Only the color-matching Pantone company could provide this much variety in a color concept book. Simple illustrations on the right side of the spreads identify nine colors and are accompanied by a grid of twenty shades of the same color on the left. The shades are identified by their Pantone numbers and fanciful names such as basketball orange, dollar bill green, and barbecue sauce brown. The final spread provides an extravaganza of colorful animals, objects, fruits, and vegetables whose shades can provide a wealth of conversational opportunities.

First Concepts Colors
by Roger Priddy; illus. by the author
Priddy/Macmillan 12 pp.
4/12 978-0-312-51377-1 $8.99

First Concepts Numbers
by Roger Priddy; illus. by the author
Priddy/Macmillan 12 pp.
4/12 978-0-312-51378-8 $8.99

For the young realist, the photographic illustrations in this pair of concept books should be a welcome diversion. Lift-the-flap and pull-the-tab interactivity adds an element of playful engagement. Colors ends with an array of colored pencils that serves as a review of the book’s contents. Numbers concludes with a similar review, this time in the form of a small ten-page book-within-a-book that reprints the larger volume’s numbers and photos.

ABC, Now You See Me
by Kim Siebold; illus. by the author
RP Kids/Running 14 pp.
4/12 978-0-7624-4067-2 $13.95

Each of twenty-six animal illustrations is accompanied by a hinged door that reveals the animal’s name. The stylized illustrations, rendered in a soft palette with plenty of geometric shapes, may be difficult to identify on first viewing but have a simple and engaging charm. Unexpected animals, such as the iguana, newt, and upland gorilla, make this a vocabulary-rich experience. The inclusion of both upper and lowercase letters adds educational value.

Cradle Me
by Debby Slier; photos by Marilyn Angel Wynn and others
Star Bright 14 pp.
1/12 978-1-59572-274-4 $6.95

In a book tailor-made for babies (who love looking at other babies), Slier introduces eleven infants from different Native American tribes, safely and (for the most part) happily secured in their cradleboards. Each picture is accompanied by a single word describing the baby’s actions or emotions. The culturally specific and the humanly universal are both depicted here.

Pouch!
by David Ezra Stein; illus. by the author
Paulsen/Penguin 32 pp.
3/12 978-0-399-25738-4 $6.99

Pouch! is a fine example of a picture book that translates to the board book format with great success. Neither the charm of the story nor the energy of the illustrations is diminished by this edition’s smaller trim size. The plot, which moves a young kangaroo in and out of his mother’s pouch as he explores the world and seeks independence, speaks directly to the developmental milestones of young childhood and is thus ideally suited for a board book audience.

Animal 123
by Britta Teckentrup; illus. by the author
Chronicle 20 pp.
2/12 978-1-4521-0993-0 $12.99

Beginning with one wiggly snake, a sturdy flap in the shape of the numeral one unfolds to reveal a second wiggly snake. Two marching elephants follow, and with the lift of the numeral two, three marching elephants come into view. The pattern continues through the number nine, where the flap unfolds once to reveal ten dragonflies and unfolds again to a pictorial and numerical review. The big, bold numeral flaps, uncluttered layouts, and appealing illustrations make this a model of conceptual clarity. A companion volume, Animal Spots and Stripes, is also available.

Daddies and Their Babies
by Guido van Genechten; illus. by the author
Clavis 20 pp.
3/12 978-1-60537-110-8 $9.99

Ten animal dads are introduced in simple, patterned text and illustrated in black, white, and shades of gray. Beginning with a “frog daddy with his baby frog” and including the de rigueur “dog daddy with his baby pup,” the book features some unexpected and vocabulary-stretching duos as well—the hedgehog daddy with his baby piglet, the crocodile daddy with his baby hatchling. For the scientific purist, the book is diminished by the inclusion of the caterpillar daddy with his baby caterpillar—a biological impossibility. Those of a more artistic inclination may find that the charm of the illustrations overcomes this problem, however. (Companion volume Mommies and Their Babies was not seen.)

A Nest in Springtime: A Bilingual Book of Numbers
by Belle Yang; illus. by the author
Candlewick 24 pp.
4/12 978-0-7636-5279-1 $6.99

Summertime Rainbow: A Bilingual Book of Colors
by Belle Yang; illus. by the author
Candlewick 24 pp.
4/12 978-0-7636-5280-7 $6.99

Regardless of the subtitles, these are not the number and color books one might expect. Nest in Springtime does not include boldly identified, sequential numbers; Summertime Rainbow does not include an individual spread for each color. Instead, these are simple stories, with texts in English and Mandarin Chinese, that include colors and numbers and thus nod quietly to their conceptual underpinnings. The final spread in both volumes provides English-language readers with an explanation of the tonal subtleties of Mandarin Chinese and assistance with pinyin pronunciations.

From the November/December 2012 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

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[cue Star Wars theme song]

Tomorrow, Saturday October 6, 2012 is the first National Star Wars Reads Day, designed to “celebrate reading and Star Wars.” While this may be an unusual pairing, I’m all for promoting events that encourage children to read. So in honor of the inaugural event, I’ve taken a look at three new Star Wars books that have recently arrived in the office.

Some fans might say it’s never too early to get kids interested in the Star Wars universe. Perhaps that’s why Lucas Books (through publisher Scholastic) has started a line of Star Wars board books. Numbers and counting concepts aside, Star Wars 123 (July 2012) is geared more toward Star Wars-fanatic parents than their newborns. The shiny images may catch a baby’s attention for a few seconds, but the vocabulary and subject matter are a “galaxy far, far away” from what most toddlers are capable of comprehending. The book could be appreciated as a baby shower or novelty gift; in that case, consider pairing it with Star Wars ABC.

Pop-up master Matthew Reinhart’s Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure (Orchard/Scholastic, October 2012) would be a perfect present for school-age children obsessed with the film series — especially if they’re into the Clone Wars. Over the five foldout spreads in this book, readers learn all about the Star Wars universe as depicted in Episodes 1–3 of George Lucas’s famous film franchise. Giant pop-ups portray podracing, Nexu and Acklay monsters, General Grievous, Vulture droid fighters and a Jedi Interceptor, and Lord Darth Vader himself — complete with a light-up lightsaber that changes from Jedi blue to Sith red!! The book, a marvel of paper engineering, maximizes space by including detailed text inside foldout mini-books containing their own small pop-ups.

Darth Vader in all his pop-up glory

Even though the book focuses specifically on the Clone Wars (I admit my loyalty lies with the original films 4–6), the pop-ups are delicate, and it probably won’t have a long library shelf life, Reinhart should be commended for the book’s ambitiousness, comprehensiveness, and overall WOW-ness. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a second book featuring Episodes 4–6!

With a foreword appropriately written by middle-grade author Tom Angleberger (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, and The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee), Chris Alexander’s book Star Wars Origami: 36 Amazing Paper-Folding Projects from a Galaxy, Far, Far Away… (Workman, August 2012) will excite Star Wars fans who are also into making things (the same way Star Wars Legos have thrilled them for years). But be warned: this book is not for the casual origami enthusiast. The projects take a lot of practice, skill, and patience to complete (similar to Jedi training). Those who are not origami masters may end up frustrated, with a lot of crumpled paper. Though the projects are broken down by level of difficulty, don’t be deceived. I tried two of the “youngling” (easy) projects and let’s just say they are not my finest artistic achievements.

two “youngling” (i.e., “easy”) projects

I’m a little apprehensive about trying any of the harder projects after my pitiful attempts at the easy ones! The projects require a strong familiarity with origami folds, so I highly recommend reading the origami basics section thoroughly before proceeding. Each project is introduced with a brief description and a film still of the character or ship, and trivia is interspersed throughout to test your knowledge of all things Star Wars. Perhaps coolest of all: 72 sheets of specially patterned Star Wars origami paper! I spent a lot of time flipping through the book trying to decide which favorite ships and characters I wanted to re-create first. Lightsabers, R2-D2, Yoda, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, The Death Star, Millennium Falcon, TIE Fighter, X-wing Starfighter, my list goes on and on. I only wish Alexander had included an origami version of an Ewok! After my failed attempts at Han and the Death Star I was disheartened, but I’m determined to persevere and keep trying out different projects in my spare time (perhaps during a Star Wars movie marathon?).

The website for tomorrow’s event shows a map of sites where events will take place in honor of the day. If you can’t make it to one of the events, activity kits on the website offer recipes, crafts, coloring pages, trivia, and games young padawans (and adult Jedi-wannabes) can do at home — including some origami and pop-ups! But as you tackle any of these projects tomorrow, remember the wise words of Yoda: “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.”

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My First Root Children (Floris Books, June 2012) is an abbreviated version of the 1906 classic German tale of Mother Earth and her underground children, who awaken after a long winter to prepare the world for spring—sending the insects above ground, encouraging the flowers to bloom, and more. The board book version manages to retain all of the original artwork, altered slightly in scale, but the text is a loose interpretation. In a contemporary update, it focuses more upon the children’s play and less upon their capacity as workers to usher in the season. Gone also are the staid gender roles of the original, in which girls make spring dresses in their favorite colors and boys deal with the bugs. In this new version, dress-making is a gender-neutral activity and everyone attends to the insects: “Then the children helped the beetles, bumblebees and ladybirds to get ready.” The familiar muted palette—earth tones, if you will—translates nicely to board book format and is a welcome respite from the bright, primary color-saturated standard.

But just like a fall chill, the abrupt ending of this version jars the reader out of illustration-induced warm-weather bliss: “‘Come inside!’ said Mother Earth. ‘It’s nearly winter, and it’s time for bed.’” Sounds like a good place to spend winter in Boston to me…

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The text is read by an enthusiastic narrator, whether the sound is on or off. If you choose to turn the sound off, however, you won’t hear the various plane motor sounds or boat noises. Or the workers’ banter or the plane/cruise ship passengers’ chatter. Tap a word in the text or object in the illustrations to hear and see that word (e.g., cloud, people, plane).

Users can move the planes/boats and a few other objects across the screen, but that’s about the extent of the digital tricks. More app-savvy toddlers might be disappointed, but I think this bare-bones adaptation approach preserves the original books’ integrity.

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A Sweet Passover (Abrams, March), written by Lesléa Newman (of Heather Has Two Mommies fame) and illustrated by David Slonim, finds young Miriam celebrating Passover with her extended family. Though she loves matzo—topped with everything from butter and cream cheese to cottage cheese and tuna salad—by the end of the eight-day matzo-thon, she’s “sick, sick, sick” of it. Grandpa brings her back into the fold with his special matzo brei (he calls it “Passover French toast”; a stretch, IMHO). A kid-friendly recipe is included for those who, like Miriam, are feeling a little matzo’ed out.

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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.

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The illustrator’s animation work is obvious in his congenial cartoony style, and it’s no surprise that Bizzy Bear now stars in a Nosy Crow app, Bizzy Bear on the Farm (December; based on the board book, Fun on the Farm). The app features Bizzy on a visit to Sunny Farm, where he helps Farmer Joe (a tiger) with such chores as feeding the pigs, putting lambs in their pen (“Those lambs are very jumpy!”), gathering eggs, and putting the tractor away.

The app has the standard Nosy Crow features, including pulsing blue dots that signal users to tap the screen and make a character speak or make something happen. You can choose to read the text and speech-balloon dialogue yourself or be read to by a cast of seemingly professionally trained British children. Their perky voices are a good match for the perky text, but the kids start to sound pesky after a while (again, kids won’t notice). The upbeat background music adds to the sunny atmosphere, as do bird songs and other animal noises.*

The app is simple enough for toddlers to use along with a grownup and engaging enough to hold their attention over multiple viewings.

*NB: I’ve been asked by nearby co-workers to add a warning about the musical quacking ducks. Bizzy may “like to hear the ducks quacking,” but they seem to make more sensitive (on edge?) adults go quackers.

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