Cityblock (Alphablock)
by Christopher Franceschelli and Peskimo
Harry N Abrams
Nominated by: Becky L.
Your little one will have fun while learning as he/she travels through a generic city in this quality board book with engaging lift flaps and cut page turns via a variety of city transportation methods. Fabulous city destinations await, including a museum, a carousel, a sports stadium and more! And that is not all – in this “big city – all you can eat city,” there are many cultural treats to discover. This fabulous book slices up the essence of a big city in manageable bites, just perfect for a little one’s mind to chew on. Chock full of art to enjoy, words to learn, details to savor and most importantly, it’s a city block little ones will want to revisit again and again.
Cuauhtemoc: Shapes/Formas (English and Spanish Edition)
by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
Lil’ Libros
Nominated by: PragmaticMom
What in the world is Cuauhtémoc? And what is it doing in a child’s board book?
The charm of this little board book is the surprising variety of learning the author and illustrator have included in twenty-two pages. Cuauhtémoc is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces the youngest of our future readers to shapes. But that’s not all: it also names the shapes in both English and Spanish. And this book has still more: it focuses on one of the most neglected groups in children’s literature, indigenous American culture. You can find this all in a package that is perfect for 0-2 year olds, with simple text and large bright pictures. Cuauhtémoc is a wonderful book for your baby or your library system.
Dinosaur Dance!
by Sandra Boynton
Little Simon
Nominated by: Alysa Stewart
Filled with pitch perfect rhymes and onomatopoeia, Dinosaur Dance waltzes from one page to the next with daring illustrations and colorful dinosaurs. The words are fun to say and create a rhythm that encourages small children to dance with the dinosaurs. Reading this board book provides the ideal environment for learning, laughing, and of course, dancing.
Follow the Yarn: A Book of Colors
by Emily Sper
Jump Press
Nominated by: ediew
Follow the Yarn is a creative new take on the basic color board book. Each page shows yarn of a different color being unraveled by a cat, and the featured color is written in big, bold, color appropriate text. On each subsequent page, the previous colors are still displayed in what creates a fun web of colors by the end of the book. The yarns crisscross each other, so toddlers will enjoy following each color’s yarn to the end. The last page, white, is stunning with the colors contrasted against a black background. This book will make the task of teaching colors a delightful experience for both parents and children.
LOOK, LOOK AGAIN
by Agnese Baruzzi
Minedition
Publisher/ Author Submission
Look, a donut! Or is it? Unfold the (sturdily constructed) flap, and you find those are actually the curves of a lounging cat. A green apples becomes two crocodiles, and so on, in this playful counting book.
The counting part of it is almost an extra. The real fun comes in learning to look at each shape differently, and in guessing what else it might be. Adults may remember similar photo games in magazines like National Geographic for Kids, or in the back pages of Reader’s Digest. The pages are easily manipulated by little hands, and while younger readers will enjoy marveling at the transformation, older children can be led in games of, “What else could this shape be?”