Books Always Everywhere

May 26, 2014
Blatt debuts with a jubilant celebration of books, aiming her chirpy rhymes at both pre- and emergent readers. Two easily sounded-out words accompany each of Massini's (Tulip Loves Rex) mixed-media illustrations, which feature cherubic babies and toddlers. On the first spread, a child stands next to a giant book displaying a picture of an elephant ("Book big"); the next pages show a baby crawling over to a board book showcasing a mouse ("Book small"). After introducing books with exaggerated horizontal and vertical formats ("Book wide/ Book tall"), Blatt ventures beyond opposites as toddlers use books for various non-reading purposesâstacked as chairs, tented as hats, and as building blocks for a play houseâbefore settling down (sort of) to read. It's a nimbly paced and satisfying progression, further elevated by Massini's art, which incorporates witty thematic book titles that tie into the settings and characters (e.g., a child in a swing drops a book entitled Oops-a-Daisy!). A mouse scooting through the pages provides added visual diversion. A sturdy stepping-stone to titles like Judy Sierra and Marc Brown's Wild About Books. Ages 3â7.

March 1, 2014
Books are everywhere, as these adorable toddlers prove! The word "book" is paired with a second word on each page or spread as a troupe of little ones demonstrates the meaning. The first spread reads, "Book big," and shows a child opening a massive book to a picture of an elephant; both book and illustration dwarf the tot. Small, wide and tall follow. Then comes "Book build / book mat / book chair / book hat," all across one spread, and the children use the books as indicated. The multiethnic toddlers interact with books throughout, and many have befitting titles. In "Book park," three munchkins sit in swings; one is holding the book Trees Are the Bee's Knees, while another has dropped Oops-a-Daisy! by accident. The illustrations are full of charm, and the mouse that figures throughout will provide children an additional means of engagement. The children have dots for eyes and squiggles for facial features, and humorous touches, such as a diaper peeking out over a waistband, abound. The large size and nice, heavy paper stock make this lap friendly. Though some adults might suck their teeth at a few of the suggested uses, the message that books are fun (and useful) certainly overrides that. In two words: Books rule! (Picture book. 2-4)

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July 1, 2014

PreS-Babies, toddlers, and a variety of animals accompanied by books as they read on the swings, while climbing trees, on rainy days, at the beach, etc. The text has a nice flow, consisting of two words per page, e.g., "Book wide" shows children surrounding a picture of a crocodile; the facing page reads, "Book tall" and features a child and a giraffe. All of the characters have identical facial features: dots for eyes and simple semicircle smiles, differentiated only by hair, skin tone, etc. Otherwise, the mixed-media illustrations have some charming details, such as children reading books whose titles and/or text coincide with their activities. As the kids cuddle in bed with some sweater-clad sheep, they are reading Counting Sheep, while at the park they read Trees Are the Bees Knees and Ooops-a Daisy! The soft, mostly pastel pictures have a great deal of texture, and children are likely to try and feel the pages. They will also have fun spotting the little mouse that cavorts somewhere on every page.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
A bevy of babies and toddlers demonstrate books' many uses ("Book build / Book mat / Book chair / Book hat") and then their function as God intended them: "Book give / Book share / Books always... / ...everywhere." (They're read, too.) It's simple but effective thanks to the illustrations of boisterous little ones enthusiastically interacting with reading material.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)