Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Left Hand, Right Hand by Dori Elys, illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan

 I've relaxed a lot about board books with moving parts over the years - I try to balance the cost with the fact that they'll probably disintegrate after only a handful of uses. However, I still have a hard time convincing myself to buy "touchy-feely" books, especially if they are likely to get dirty quickly. Small children are gross, I'm just gonna lay it out there.

That being said, this is a touchy-feely book that I can't help but recommend because it's very, very cleverly done. As seen on the cover, there are two options for touching - one for the left hand, one for the right. The cover is a kind of flocked yarn and pink fur, both of which I predict are going to be very nasty, very soon...

The book itself has a different texture on each page, inviting readers to touch them with the appropriate hand "Left hand smooth./Right hand bumpy." The bear and dog from the cover cavort through the pages exhibiting a smooth, shiny bucket, lightly raised circles, a sort of thin carpet which is labeled "furry" and a pathway to trace with a finger for "jumpy." There is also rough, soft, crinkle, and squash and the book ends with inviting children to touch with both hands an array of glittery stars.

Verdict: This is a fun way to help very young children practice left and right and although some of the textures are a bit odd, the cheerful pictures are cute and the book is likely to popular for the short time that it lasts. It's under $10, not too much more expensive than your average board book, and would be a good addition to most collections.

ISBN: 9781665953023; Published June 2024 by Little Simon; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library