A BOARD BOOK Beauty That IS NEVER BORING

 Board books are a specific and appealing format of picture books. Parents, teachers, and librarians will confirm that they are among the favorites for the earliest of independent tots. But they also require some particular qualities to survive their intended audiences in order to be worth the investment. As we all know, the youngest among us tend to flap hands and arms, bang things, and even toss items they love. Those may sound like tantrum behaviors, but they're nothing like the "throw a fit" behavior we witness all too often even among adults. What observers of little ones will note is that the degree of excitement and enthusiasm they feel is expressed in direct proportion to body responses, from bounces to bangs to giggles to chewing. 

All of those spontaneous reactions can be mighty tough on a book.That accounts for the pricing on some of the best of the board books, designed and constructed to survive such tough love! That includes durable covering, expensive but solid binding, wipeable covers, and sturdy interior paper or cardboard stock. If you add in delightful features like lift-the-flaps with inner flap text and tabs, each little copy is its own work of art. 

PHAIDON Press, 2025

All of the above are among the reasons I am such a fan of the recent nonfiction board book, THE SECRET POWERS OF ANIMALS, written by Soledad Romero Marino and illustrated by Sonia Pulido. A recent post featured earlier this month, SUPER POWERED PLANTS is the work of this well-suited creative pair. They both know their target audiences, shaping the design, text, and level of details perfectly for those older readers, but shifting to the crisp, uncluttered wording and visuals for this young board book crowd. 

The main text is rhymed, usually six lines, innkid-friendly language. That's followed by a question that prompts engagement, prediction, and observation. Each creature image has three lift-the-flaps that share a sentence or two about ways the particular creature has adapted and survives. The animals range from insects to land, water, and air inhabitants. They are familiar (from bees to house cats) and novel (octopus and narwhale). In each case the text page is framed/bordered by stylized elements of the habitat, but the animals are displayed on simple-solid color backgrounds that encourage attention to the details of each creature.

Interior: THE SECRET POWERS OF ANIMALS

As I mentioned above, board books are delightful for littles hands, and worth the purchase. If a book becomes read/loved beyond recognition, it might even merit replacement for the same child, next sibling, or succeeding class or group. In this case, the US price listed for the book is $14.95, a surprisingly reasonable cost for a book of this quality. It has excellent language, informational content, interactivity, visual appeal, durability, and charm. Little ones ih laps or on their own can engage with high level thinking, comparing body parts, colors, sizes and shapes, and more. If you know of anyone ion this target range, make yourself a hero and treat them to this fun new board book. 

Interior: THE SECRET POWERS OF ANIMALS

Phaidon Press provided a physical copy without promise of a review. I rarely comment on books for this age and format unless I can examine the durability and construction directly, and I was delighted by this book! It is a great choice for the smallest tots, but will be enjoyed and examined closely by preschools and even early readers. 

DOT, DOT, POLKA DOT: Board Book with Layers of Colorful Fun!

Who doesn't love polka dots?  I can't be alone in finding that dotted fabrics, walls, boots, and BOOKS make me smile. Artists like Yayoi Kusama have made polka dots their signature motif, reviewed HERE. A recent board book offering is a delightfully appealing introduction to polka dots and other patterns for the youngest audiences, but is equally appealing to this NOT youngest reader!

POPW! Kids Books, 2023

DOT, DOT, POLKA DOT is a colorful, sturdy board book written and illustrated by graphic designer Morissa Rubin. She explores, page turn by turn, familiar and global/cultural patterns of nature and fabrics with lively text, bold images, and an edge accumulation of swatches that foreshadows a gratifying ending. The opening/title turn that features dots is followed by efficient and enticing text and image-rich examples of stripes, plaid, calico, argyle, kente cloth, kawung fruit, gingham, uroko triangles, paisleys, molas, and tie-dyes. 

This is a feast for the eyes and ears, sparking curiosity and providing vocabulary to recognize and label the many patterns that are human-made as well as identifying those in our lived environment. There are just enough hints within the minimal text to suggest ways that little (or bigger) hands might make patterns using stamps, bits, even collage techniques to make this a must-have addition for those teaching/leading art and craft groups of any age. 

Each pattern is represented by a small square fabric swatch, which caught my eye immediately, since I'm a lifelong fan of quilts. (This is evident in prior posts celebrating quilts  HERE, HERE, and HERE.))These swatches accumulate along one edge of each double spread, reminding me of ways in which quilters scatter, shift, and adjust their layouts, savoring the interactions of color and pattern with an eye to making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. "Separate pieces come together" is the next-to-last turn in which thread begins to attach one swatch to the next on a background featuring many of the patterns introduced. The final spread celebrates them all when the line-drawn character is tucked under a patchwork quilt, topped by a snuggling calico cat, with polka-dotted boots and hat safely stowed nearby. 

I particularly appreciated the global/cultural inclusion and celebration of patterns, as well as the richly robust vocabulary. This book is likely to find fans throughout the day and at bedtime, providing young ears with repetitive familiarity and context for words to describe their own worlds. While many board books are worthy sources for developing language and concepts related to color and shape, this is a rich source that embeds endless opportunities for such language. it's a treasure chest of entertainment and development for families, libraries, early childhood groups, and those seeking support for English language learning and/or speech/language development. It is even a great choice for dedicated (or beginning) quilters who could well display it as a table-top book of sorts or share with younger family members. Other ideas? Please share them in comments. It has been a while since I lost myself for hours in the fabric aisles, but this book just might lead me back there soon!

(Side note: Board books can be glorious yet constructed in such a way that they are soon damaged by the little hands that clutch them. POW Books seems aware of this and produced a durable physical book that should survive many readings and explorations, which this book invites.)

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher with no promise of a review.

Hanukkah Winners and Activities!

 I'm welcoming in December with two picture books (one a board book) celebrating Hannukkah (no matter how you spell it!). Sunday, December 18, marks the first night of lights for 2022, and the concluding night is December 26. This movable feast is not considered a major holiday within Jewish traditions and yet it is perhaps the best known among those who are not Jewish. 

KAR-BEN PUBLISHING, 2022

A delightfully illuminating board book about the holiday is HANUKKAH NIGHTS, written and illustrated by Amalia Hoffman. Each page turn lights yet another candle until all eight (and the server candle) are glowing by the conclusion. The unique things about this new offering is that it is so kid-friendly and also an inspiring book about exploring artistic expression for even the youngest. 

Each spread features two rhymed lines, while revealing another candle, lit in a different colored flame, produced by a different (simply produced) art technique. One principle of Hanukkah gifts is the value of simplicity and handmade gifts presented each day. Craft and art play a central role in the family and community sharing throughout the days and nights and gatherings. I wanted to share this book well in advance to be sure you have time to get your hands on a copy of the book and the materials suggested. 

 Yes, you should search out this book for young folks, whether Jewish or not, but also collect and prepare the simple, inexpensive materials that are demonstrated within the text, in the enlarged art example, and in the concluding "how to" spread. Children (and adults!) of any background will be enthused about exploring these techniques, especially if black background paper is provided among their supplies. (Thank you to Kar-Ben for a preview pdf file without a promise of reveiw.)

Interior: Hanukkah Nights (Kar-Ben, 2022)

Interior: Hanukkah Nights (Kar-Ben, 2022)

Interior:  (Kar-Ben, 2022)

Kalaniot Books, 2022

In addition to this inspiring and fun little offering, check out a lively and lighthearted picture book story, MENDEL'S HANUKKAH MESS UP, written by Chana and Larry Stiefel and illustrated by Daphna Awadish. Storytelling, music, humor, faith, and trust are essential elements in Hanukkah traditions, within celebrations and in the origin story that is honored. When Mendel is invited by his rabbi to drive the Mitzvah Mobile through the neighborhood to spread the good word of celebrations among his neighbors, all of the above are involved in a surprising and "miraculous" contemporary series of events. 

This will please readers of any background and will find eager audiences among those who have been defined as (or defined themselves as) "mess-up" kids.

Don't miss it.

And whatever you celebrate at this time of year, invite books of all kinds into your lives and share them with the lives of your own young audiences.

What Makes a Book a Book?

I've featured quite a few books by a specialty publisher, PHAIDON. Their offerings in children's books emphasize the quality of the book as a physical object, designing and producing board books, interactive books, and 3-D assembly books that are appealing in size and shape, with  eye-catching qualities of color, shape and contrast. Th subject matter and execution of content are equally distinct and attractive. The durability and paper quality and attention to detail of books in this category carry over to their picture books, too. 

Check out some of the Phaidon books I've reviewed HERE, HERE,  HERE, and HERE. 

PHAIDON, 2021

A brand new board book arrived for my examination (without a promise of review). It is a product of the witty and wonderful mind and talent of Jean Jullien. An earlier production, THIS IS NOT A BOOK, (2016)  set the stage for a sequel, THIS IS STILL NOT A BOOK. This latest effort continues to challenge the assumption that page-turning produces a simple left-right, beginning-middle-end interior. In fact, the challenge to our assumptions from the question that titles this post are embedded at every turn of concept, premise, subtle detail, and  cleverly complex gatefold. In each case little hands will be turning, twisting, and flipping perspectives and presumptions about what it is they are seeing... and thinking. And the durable construction will allow little ones to repeat and explore over and over again.

My teacher-instincts brought just a whisper of worry that this does nothing to support pre-reading concepts of left-to-right progression and story/concept awareness. Then my kid-loving-instincts took over and cheered that this is an ideal meta-book exploration of what actually IS A BOOK!

This wordless but thought-filled production invites a big-hearted embrace of the most important things about books: joy, surprise, engagement, meaning-making, exploration, and partnership with the creator. Without those, this is just a lovely stack of fun pictures on cardboard. With those essential book activities, we can safely grin at the author's teasing titles and confidently share his delightful books, filled with big ideas, meaningful glances, wry humor, and a successful counterattack to ever-present digital devices. This is truly a handheld delight from any and every angle.

If this whets your appetite for more young books that challenge and entice, take a look back at this post including several BOOK books that are as adored by adults as they are by kids. 

Happy Mothers' Day: Mom Loves little Jumbo

Minedition, 2019

Here's a terrific suggestion for the many families who have the smallest wee ones, ideal audiences for board books. MOM LOVES LITTLE JUMBO is a newborn book itself, released within the past few weeks. Its durable construction, glossy surfaces, and compact size are a perfect fit for infants and toddlers. The physical book and the emotionally connected characters will appeal to little hands across all ethnicities, races, and genders, using the simplest words in first person voice to universally represent the dependance of tots and the loving security of moms.

Baby "JUMBO" is tiny in relation to Mom, but they mirror each other's simple shapes, basic activities, and expressive eyes. Their shapes and body postures form perfect pairings in each scene, their symmetry creating a lighthearted contrast to the extremes differences in their size. Their colors are always reflective of the other, at times natural and at times interpreting the situation or events with surreal but subdued coloring. Essential details are included on otherwise unframed simple backgrounds, emphasizing the relationship between Jumbo and Mom. Always, the pages are a duet of loving care and reassurance, displayed through explorations of daily life, joy, learning, and love.
Author/illustrator Yasushi Muraki has created this handful of love that is a perfect homage to moms on Mothers' Day and a treasure for the tot-mom pairs throughout the months ahead. In fact, for those who are not biologic moms, the simple roles on page after page of bonding and support reinforce the definition of parenting regardless of bloodlines.

Minedition 2019

While you're at it, check out another Minedition recent release. MY LITTLE CHICK is written by GERALDINE ELSCHNER and illustrated by EVE THARLET. Despite the cartoonish calendar displaying impatient anticipation of a baby chick, this picture book is actually filled with lush illustrations of a farm family and their lovely fowl. The child/narrator uses first person voice to convey the intensity of hope, excitement, and tender care for a newly hatched chick. Other than a small white hand and cleverly portrayed effort to "nest" an egg under layers of blankets, the reader views each stage with a child's-eye-view. 
There are delightful moments throughout, eliciting chuckles, sighs, sympathy, and cheers. Among my favorite scenes are the ruffled-rump-revealing process of actual egg-laying, and the  centerfold/cut flap reveal as the chick gradually exits its egg. Before readers can become too concerned about the bitty chick's lack of a feathery mom, the young narrator delivers the fluffy one back to Mama Alma in the flock, knowing that will be the best way for a newborn chick to learn the ways of the world.

Both books are well-suited to Mothers' Day, or any day. Both are also ideal books for a baby shower. 

I received a copy of each book from Minedition.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.