Adults often do a great disservice to children by underestimating them. They keep things simple and literal. They use small words rather than realizing that context and questioning will build a child’s vocabulary at an amazing rate. They tend to deal in the concrete, the tangible, the expected. But children are by nature curious little sponges and often revel in the very things that put adults a bit off balance. Add something out of the ordinary to spark creative thinking!
Before & After or This is Not a Book by Jean Julien The former is a great series of events, showing both before and after, but the results (and the middle) aren’t always what you’d think! Even the cover gets in on the act in this one. The latter is definitely for older kids, captivating my almost 2 year old and almost 4 year old alike. With pages set up like a computer, a tent, a person on a tightrope, and yes, even a butt crack, it is not a book, but it certainly will stretch little imaginations.
The Noisy Book by Soledad Bravi On the surface this appears to be just another well illustrated series of pictures and their corresponding sounds. You know, “The donkey goes hee-haw…the cow goes moooooo”. But on closer inspection, interspersed with the expected cats and fire trucks are picks that truly make the book special: The power outlet goes “NO”. Pain goes ouch. The snail does nothing but move its elegant feelers. This was absolutely beloved in our house and many of my older child’s first words and sounds were directly from The Noisy Book. *One note* – The book includes both a mom & dad, so if that isn’t the family structure you are shopping for, it may not work.
Squares or Guess What? – Food by Yusuke Yonezu Yonezu has so many great options. Check out one of his shape books, like Squares, Circles or Triangles which help kids hunt for shapes in the real world. Or investigate the incredible Guess What? Food which starts with a picture of what appears to be a food item but with the flip of a flap turns into an adorable animal. Yonezu will both have kids thinking creatively and making creative connections that will serve them for years to come.
Press Here by Herve Tullet There are many choices in the interactive book world these days, but I like the artistic simplicity of Press Here. Each page requests the reader interact with the page by tapping, clapping, shaking or sliding. As pages turn, their actions alter the illustrations accordingly. My oldest used to love sitting there and doing this for himself as soon as he was old enough to remember most of the steps.
