Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Up Close by Gay Wegerif

[This review has been edited and republished]

This is a cute idea, but too abstract for a really successful board book.

The first page says "Up close I see your [shape, body part, such as "round snout"]. You are a..." The next page shows several shapes, as on the cover, to create an abstract of an animal. The final page of the triad says the animal's name. Kids would enjoy identifying the shapes and colors, but the images are far too abstract to really identify the animals, especially for the babies and toddlers who are the audience for board books.

It's not a bad book - it's a clever idea and little ones enjoy shapes and colors and a good reader could make this a fun interactive experience, but it's not really developmentally appropriate and one of my pet hobby horses for board books is that they're created for a much older and more sophisticated audience - if the concept is too difficult or abstract for the average toddler, it should be a picture book, not a board book.

Verdict: An additional purchase, if you need more board books.

ISBN: 9781419703911; Published 2013 by Harry N. Abrams; Borrowed from another library in my consortium