Board Book Reviews
Banana, Banana, Banana!
Sarah Finan, pub. Post Wave Children’s Books
How many ways can you imagine that there are to eat a banana. I have to be honest all that came to my mind was peeling and eating. How very wrong I was proved to be. A board book for little ones, with plenty of peek-through pages has put me right, perhaps it will you too!
One little baby wants only one snack – a banana. After all there are so many ways to eat this favourite sweet treat… And let’s not forget that they are bendy, making you smile, filled with goodness to keep you strong can be added to a smoothie ready for a straw. Try them mashed and even at pyjama time! Which will you try first?
The Boys Book of Feelings
Lauren Ace, illus. Jenny Lovlie, pub. Little Tiger
Every one of us has feelings, no matter who we are or even how we identify, it just so happens that this board book wants to share with boys the idea that they can have feelings too! Whatever those feelings might be, remember they are yours therefore they are real.
They could be as big as a wave or as small as a grain of sand but they will help you make sense of the world. They can make you feel good and bad, have empathy, offer comfort and good vibes too. Discover more about how to describe your feelings and what they mean for you, for us all, in this vibrant board book.
Busy Bookshop
illus. Marion Billet, pub. Campbell Books
Every bookshop should, in my opinion at least, be a busy one. It’s fantastic to discover a board book encouraging just that, not only with its title but by showing young children just how much fun can be had with a book. Especially one like this with its push and pull slider!
Before you step in make sure to check your bookshop is open and then be prepared for there is so much to see. Keep your eyes peeled for the special sliders, some of them are cleverly hidden and reveal wonderful surprises about the books waiting to be discovered. A wonderful introduction to reading and the joy of books.
(Hello Baby) Animals
(Hello Baby) Look At Me
illus. Mara van der Meer, pub. Priddy Books
(Hello Baby) Animals introduces the youngest child to a small range of animals, there is a cat on the cover, a rabbit, cow, a snail and finally a fish inside the book, each complemented by a coloured, patterned board sitting next to the animal when the book is open. These highly contrasting pictures on each board are intended to teach and help develop eyesight.
Where (Hello Baby) Animals has ribbons as a special feature (Hello Baby) Look at Me has a mirrored page so that young children are encouraged to see if they can identify themselves by looking into it before exploring the duck, flower, sailing boat and baby face. I say exploring because once more highly contrasting colours are presented to help with eyesight development.
Is Dot In the Tree?
Camilla Reid, illus. Carly Gledhill, pub. Macmillan Children’s Books
Dot loves to play games and in this book she is playing hide-and-seek, a favourite game for many! The special thing about the game in this book is that it will engage little hands with its eight sliders which may help you find dot. Then there is a very special surprise waiting at the end of the book. Remember, stay alert and keep your eyes open!
Packed full of colour and plenty of fun, there are hours of play in this little board book. As young fingers work out how to move the sliders they will also see the pictures on the pages change. I wonder if this will help them find Dot? Maybe if they ask very nicely someone will have seen her and know where to look!
The Jungle Book
illus. Miriam Bos, pub. Campbell Books
A classic story which has been around for years and years, now made accessible to the smallest listeners in this beautiful, and interactive, board book. As each scene unfolds there are opportunities for little hands to share in the creation of the story whilst also trying to guess what comes next.
A very abbreviated version of the story, perfect for young readers, with rhyming text, takes them into the jungle where a wolf dad finds a young human boy, can you see him hiding? When there is danger a brave panther keeps him safe, he has friends to play with too, can you find them with the slider? An enchanting and engaging book.
Little Baby Learns: Animals
Little Baby Learns: Numbers
pub. Priddy Books
Learn with the animals, learn what they are called, what they look like and of course what sort of shape they are so that the puzzle pieces fit. Take your time matching them up, there are twelve to match. Go on safari, to the jungle, under the sea and learn to recognise pets too. When you’ve finished why not take the pieces out and start all over again?
Usually, children learn to count to ten before moving on, with this wonderful puzzle book they can learn their numbers all the way to twelve! See the number, see the number word and say it, trace it and then see if you can find the matching piece. Can you also name the object that is in the picture? Hours of learning and fun await.
(Little Kids, Big Questions) Baby Animals
(Little Kids, Big Questions) Farm
pub. Priddy Books
Baby Animals asks its reader questions about the animals living in the forest, who looks after them on the African Savannah and those which live in the Australian Outback. If you’ve ever wondered what a pet was like as a baby there are clues to look for, learn how baby animals keep warm and what they eat in the jungle. Full of bright colourful photographs this is a wonderful introduction to animals.
If you’ve been enjoying lifting the flaps and moving the sliders in your board books until now then you will love continuing to be able to do it with Farm, an exploration not only of who lives on the farm but what role they play. From learning about why farmers keep cows to discovering where eggs come from and what is grown on a farm there is plenty here to keep young minds, and hands, busy learning.
MiniTouch: Dinosaurs
MiniTouch: On the Go
illus. Mini Magique Studio, pub. Happy Yak
Dinosaurs offers young children more than a book which will introduce them to these amazing creatures, starting what is very likely to be a lifelong love of them, it is also a touch-and-feel first opposites book. Starting from the cover to the last page every dinosaur is introduced with a short sentence and a half printed half tactile picture, reach out to touch…
Vehicles are fascinating to young children, there are so many of them, they have different purposes, speeds, colours, shapes and sizes. Now they can learn about ten different modes of transport with this charming first vehicles book. From the car and the train to the bicycle and sailing boat there is even a hot air balloon to enjoy exploring!
My Busy Art Book!
My Busy Music Book!
illus. Lizzy Doyle, pub. Design Eye
It’s time to get busy, to play, to look and to listen. My Busy Art Book! and My Busy Music Book! are here and they are waiting for little hands to get busy with them. There is no way to refuse, no matter what age you are, they are far too tempting to be left alone for long…
Toddler may not yet be ready for masterpieces but a finger dipped in water and drawn across the page will reveal something magical. Pulling some tabs will show them what happens when colours mix. There is a picture to slide back into place as well as squiggles and dots to play with. Guitar strings want to be twanged, a drum tapped and even a maraca shaken in Art’s partner book, between them they guarantee hours of fun and some quality learning too.
My First Milestones: Ready to Walk
Lee Wildish, pub. Workman Publishing
There are milestone moments in everyone’s life, perhaps even more so for children and now there is a series of board books to help celebrate them. Taking those first steps is a huge milestone, Ready to Walk is a charming celebration of that. Lee Wildish brings babies a charming book to listen to mummy or daddy read to encourage them.
Older siblings could join in too as the text guides little ones in how to take those first steps, slowly, one thing at a time, knowing there is always someone there to help them, to catch them. It is bold, brilliant and also very thoughtful, a book to return to again and again, the first steps are always the most daunting but a reminder each time is incredibly reassuring.
Not Tired!
Won’t Go!
Sumana Seeboruth, illus. Fotini Tikkou, pub. Barefoot Books
I wonder if you know of a toddler who is very determined, to do the opposite of what any grownup has asked of them, to put their foot down… I am sure we all know a few and wonder what it is we can do to discourage them from these determined ideas!
Help is at hand from a pair of wonderful board books which help children, and likely adults too, learn more about feelings and firsts. Does your toddler often declare they are not tired because they want another bedtime story, want to stay up late? One mama has some creative ideas. Being too busy to stop playing and go out can seem to be a big challenge but look at how one clever dad shows the children there are even more adventures outside the door…
Uh-Oh Niko: The Beach
Chris Chatterton, pub. Ladybird Books
Niko is having a day out on the beach but it’s not always as easy as it looks, there are lots of tasks, can you help Niko get them right? It might be a little challenging at times and it might make you giggle when Niko gets things wrong but I know that young children everywhere are going to make Niko their new best friend!
Starting from the front cover feels a little like cheating when the sandcastle is revealed, but it’s fun to then dive inside and find out how Niko did it. There is suncream to remember to put on, seagulls to avoid so you can enjoy that ice cream and waves to be careful of when you are in the water. Don’t forget to look at all the added details too.
Who’s Funny?
Camilla Reid, illus. Nila Aye, pub. Macmillan Children’s Books
There are lots of things that make us giggle. It could be words, or the voices used to say them. It could be actions or even feelings, touch. Giggling is a lot of fun and is something we should all aim to do often, after all it makes us feel good too. Now you can giggle and discover at the same time with a clever sharing book.
Does the bumpy green tail belong to the funniest person ever? Lift that soft flap to see. If it’s not them there is a purple flap hiding a pink hat, a pink one hiding a cute blue nose and a green one hiding a pretty yellow umbrella. But there is one more, at the very end, under a blue flap there could be the funniest person ever…