Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Make Tracks: Building Site by Johnny Dyrander

I have mixed feelings about how to categorize this title. It's part of a series that encourages young readers to use their finger to push a cardboard circle around a depressed "track" in the book. This particular title is focused on construction vehicles and the front cover features a small excavator to be pushed around a square around a large excavator.

There are five thick pages to the book, working out to four spreads. Each features a different construction vehicle on the left, with a simple explanation of what it does and different parts of the machine, like a tire or engine, identified. The tracks inside the book offer a little more scope than a simple square. They are more in the nature of a short road, usually with a few turns. There is a spread for a concrete mixer, dump truck, excavator (which has a roundabout to go round) and a bulldozer.

On the "board book" side of the argument, the book is very sturdy, with thick board pages and no moving parts other than the disc that slides along. The discs are loose - they will move if you turn the book - so should not need any pulling or twisting that would damage them. Construction vehicles are a perennially popular title and the combination of simple text and encouraging the kids to build fine motor skills and "drive" the vehicle will make these undoubtably popular.

On the "toy" side, the discs are very loose - they sometimes get stuck at the ends and I can definitely see small kids trying to pry them out just because. There is also room for small fingers to get under the edges of the track and pull them up.

What settles the argument for me is that this is priced like a typical board book - $7 with discount. It may not last as long as a board book with no moving parts, but it's sure to be popular while it lasts and will be easy to replace.

Verdict: This is sure to be a popular addition to board book shelves and I will certainly be purchasing the whole series, as soon as it is available.

ISBN: 9798887770093; Published September 2023 by Nosy Crow; Review copy provided by publisher