Four Picture Book Reviews

Welcome, Little Baby by Aliki
Stars: *****

The perfect first book for baby. It’s not a board book (at least the version I read) but it’s perfect for reading to your newborn, before they can even hold and chew on a book. The text is directed at the baby saying things like you are very small and all you want is to sleep and eat. Also how you’ll grow up and learn to walk and talk etc… It’s a breasfeeding friendly book which means it shows a nursing baby, no bottles. It’s also gender neutral. The baby is in yellow clothes and could be a boy or girl.

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Stars: *****

A cute story about a pea who doesn’t want to eat his candy, even though it will make him big and strong. But when he finally does get down five bites of candy, he is allowed to have dessert, Spinach! The illustrations are simple but it makes it a delightful little book. Ages 2-4.

Over Under by Marthe Jocelyn
Stars: ***

An Earlier book by the author of Eats! which I reviewed. A first opposites book with bright illustrations by Tom Slaughter again. My daughter loves it. However there is a spread with “a square is a square, a circle’s round” I’m not sure why this is in an opposites book. Are square and circle opposites? Also Inside and Outside are pictured using a turtle but inside is shown first so you just see a green shell. However I couldn’t even tell that’s what it was till I turned the page and saw the full turtle.

Where Does it Go? By Margaret Miller
Stars: ****

An interesting book in that it uses photographs of real kids and items instead of illustrations. Goes along the lines of this: “Where does Tavo put his socks? Among the flowers? On his nose? On the dog’s paw? In the wading poll? On his feet!” There is a picture with each question, suggestion and answer. The answer is on the following page so your child can guess first. My daughter thought the suggestions were hilarious, especially the ones with animals. Could also help reinforce topics such as over, under, in, out, beside, on top of etc… I’ll be sure to check out more of her books.