Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Hello, World! Solar System by Jill McDonald

Educational board books seem to be the wave of the future. So how does this one measure up? I first saw it at a conference and it looked fun enough that I purchased it for the library. It's circulated quite well for us so far too.

This book is a colorful introduction to the solar system. It starts with the moon and sun, then goes on to name all the planets with a simple fact about each - venus is the brightest, etc. Secondary facts are written in smaller type. The book finishes up with stars and comets.

The book is simple enough for a preschooler to understand, but the solar system is, in my opinion, too complex, a concept for a board book audience. While the colorful, splashy art is enjoyable to look at, this age is not likely to connect a picture of saturn with rainbow colored-rings with a planet they can't even see in the sky.

Verdict: This fulfills the many requests I get from parents for "educational" board books, but it's not actually going to teach kids anything, in my opinion, because it references things they can't physically see or are too young to conceptualize. Still, it's attractive and older preschoolers will enjoy it. I don't regret purchasing it.

ISBN: 9780553521030; Published 2016 by Doubleday/Random House; Purchased for the library