New Original Board Books
Cyber Group Studios. Gigantosaurus Where’s Giganto? Candlewick, 03/2021. [8p.] $11.99. 978-1-5362-1339-3.
Sliders embedded in each page show various animals that four small dinosaurs encounter as they search for a T Rex. Based on a television show, this is not recommended for libraries.
Rascal. Pablo. Gecko Press, 05/2021. [28p.] $16.99. 978-1-776573-24-0.
Originally published in France by Belgian author Rascal, this unusual story is about an egg that is slowly hatching. Although it has board covers, the pages are plastic-coated paper. The unusual artwork contains only black figures on white backgrounds; they resemble cut paper. A clever book for a wide age range.
Adapted from Picture Books
Atinuke. B Is for Baby. Illus. by Angela Brooksbank.
Candlewick, 2019/2021. [26p.] $7.99. 978-1-5362-1794-0.
Usually I prefer the picture book editions but this board adaptation works fine in the smaller format. This is not an alphabet book, but a celebration of words that start with “b” that are relevant to this baby in Africa. The distinctive artwork sets the characters on white backgrounds and then full color, as a boy rides his bike to his grandfather’s house.
New Series Board Books
Davies, Benji. Bizzy Bear Soccer Player. Nosy Crow, 2021. [8p.] $7.99. 978-1-5362-1731-5.
Bizzy Bear is shown playing soccer in this cartoon-like story with sliders embedded in each page. The rhyming text will inspire children to chant along; sure to be popular.
Patricelli, Leslie. Daddy. Candlewick, 03/2021. [26p.] $7.99. 978-1-5362-0382-0.
Patricelli, Leslie. Mommy. Candlewick, 03/2021. [26p.] $7.99. 978-1-5362-0381-3.
Two new entries in Patricelli’s popular series about a cute, bald baby. In both, the titular parent is shown doing a variety of activities and chores (for example, Dad cleans and Mom takes baby to the park). Although the main characters are white, their many friends and neighbors represent a variety of ethnicities.
Reid, Camilla. Peekaboo Bear. Illus. by Ingela Arrhenius. Nosy Crow, 03/2021. [8p.] $9.99. 978-1-5362-1720-9.
Reid, Camilla. Peekaboo Sun. Illus. by Ingela Arrhenius. Nosy Crow, 03/2021. [8p.] $9.99. 978-1-5362-1721-6.
Bright and bold saturated colors and graphic artwork complement the sliders and mirror in this series. The rhyming text describes items related to the title character; for example, Peekaboo Bear shows other forest animals and plants. The sturdy pages should hold up to library circulation.
Penny Peck, SJSU iSchool
Leave a Reply