More often that we’d like, books for babies have moveable parts that don’t stay attached. Sometimes they are so beautiful that you wouldn’t want to share them with tiny, nimble hands. Or perhaps the book is sturdy, but the content is flimsy. The following list meets the demanding criteria for the youngest readers, and the price points permit generous parents to purchase every one.
“Bizzy Bear Pirate Adventure,” by Benji Davies; Nosy Crow Press, $6.99, 10 pages, ages 0-3.
In this pirate adventure Bizzy Bear sails the seas in search of treasure and adventure. The sliders that move Bizzy and his friends are easy for little hands to manipulate, and the rhyming tale keeps a quick pace throughout.
“Quick, Duck!” by Mary Murphy; Candlewick Press, $6.99, 10 pages, ages 0-3.
Welcome spring with this fun board book. In it, we meet an adorable duckling who scampers over rocks, around flowers, and through the mud to reach his family waiting in a nearby pond. Large, hand-lettered text accompanies bright and engaging ink and watercolor illustrations.
“Little Bunny,” by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by John Butler; Simon & Schuster, $5.99, 30 pages, ages 0-3. (Also available as an E-Book)
“What will you do today?” asks Mama rabbit to her baby bunny. “Everything!” he replies and scampers off into the meadow in search of adventure and fun. Previously published as Wee Little Bunny, this sturdy board book will enchant readers with Butler’s cuddly and cute renderings of birds, butterflies, and of course, bunnies.
“Away We Go! A Shape-and-Seek Book,” by Chiêu Anh Urban; Scholastic Press, $6.99, 20 pages, ages 0-3. (Available June 2013)
The innovative die-cut images present shapes hidden inside brightly illustrated planes, submarines and hot-air balloons. Children will adore tracing and identifying the cutout shapes. Author-illustrator Urban’s background as a graphic illustrator is put to excellent use in this boldly crafted and illustrated book.
Literary Features Syndicate 