Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Where's the giraffe? by Ingela P. Arrhenius

This delightful series has quickly become a favorite at our library, and a top choice for me when recommending books as gifts for new babies.

Each brightly-colored page plays peek-a-boo with the reader, showing animals that are generally related hidden behind flaps. This titles features jungle animals, lion, crocodile, elephant, and giraffe. The final page asks "And where are you?" and readers lift the flap to see a small mirror. One of the things that sets this series apart is that the flaps are felt, rather than paper, inserted into the page. They are cut in different shapes and are a variety of colors, hot pink, burgundy, green, neon orange, etc.

Arrhenius' illustrations have a classic, minimalist look. She uses a lot of simple forms, circles, ovals, and curved shapes in her animals and plants and tends towards bright but not glaring shades in her colors.

The binding on these tends to give way before the flaps do; Like most of Nosy Crow's titles, they are made with a pretty light cardboard binding and the outside hinge quickly gets puncture marks. However, they are so popular and I generally consider board books ephemeral collections anyways.

Verdict: Unless you only purchase board books that last for many years, these are a must-have in your board book section; caregivers and children alike love them.

ISBN: 9780763693343; Published 2017 by Nosy Crow; Purchased for the library