Beautiful Oops!

Barney Saltzberg (2010), 28 pages

Audience: all ages

Format: board book

Can you take a crumbled piece of paper and make it into a sheep’s coat? Can you turn a scrap piece of paper into something interesting? Why, yes you can! This book reminds everyone that mistakes are okay. In fact, making mistakes is a part of life – so why not celebrate them! Author and illustrator, Saltzberg delivers this message in a very creative and innovative way. Using a series of flaps, pop ups, and die cuts he produced a fun, interactive, and imaginative book that people (at any age) will appreciate. With some ingenuity, “Oops! A torn piece of paper” becomes a wide-smiling crocodile or watch as a little paint spill morphs into … a collection of purple puppies, a family of birds, even an elephant. Satlzberg proves that no matter the mistake, whether torn paper, a drip of paint, a stain, a hole, etc … it’s just a chance to make something unique and interesting. This board book is constructed well with durable, glossy pages … so that even young children can enjoy moving the pages and gain motor skills. Each interactive element is surprising and delightful for more details check out the publisher’s promotional video. It may just inspire you to get crafty and go make some mistakes of your own! With it’s movable parts, bright colors, and creative design-this book is both fun and functional and the authors message is timeless … mistakes provide an opportunity to be creative and imaginative and more importantly they are an opportunity to create something new … something beautiful!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman, or The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Other books by this author: Kisses, Peekaboo Kisses, Crazy Hair Day, Star of the Week, Baby Animal Kisses, The Flying Garbanzos, and Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?

Do You Want to be My Friend?

Eric Carle (1971), 30 pages

Audience: All ages

Format: picture book

Meet one hopeful Mouse looking for friendship, –who along the way … finds it! Carle has once again created a wonderful children’s book for all ages. Presented in a nearly wordless format, this book prompts the reader with just one question “Do you want to be my friend?” As Little Mouse adventures out he runs into a variety of animals along the way including an especially long snake. Carle’s classic collage-images are vivid against the minimal white background, simple though they may seem, his design placement is intentional for young children trying to build reading readiness skills, “the ingenious placement of the pictures shows the child the correct direction in which to turn the page” establishing that the story is read from left to right. This important skill (understanding how books work and how they are read) is known as print awareness; a fundamental early literacy skill. This story also, builds another great reading readiness skill known as narrative (storytelling) ability. A practically wordless book, readers are encouraged to create and narrate the illustrations. Carle includes tips on storytelling and narrating this story in a note to parents and teachers in the book’s forward. Adorable and educational – the best of both worlds!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: The Hunter and the Animals by Tomie dePaola, The Story of a Little Mouse Trapped in a Book by Monique Felix or The Colors by Monique Felix

Other books by this author: From Head to Toe, My Very First Book of Colors, The Grouchy Ladybug, and Pancakes, Pancakes!

White on Black

Tana Hoban (1993), 12 pages

Audience: babies

Format: board book

White on Black is the perfect first book for babies. Known for her bold graphic designs, photographer Hoban created a series of baby books featuring high contrasts of black and white images. This sparse contrast makes the images easier for infants to see (especially during the first few months as the baby’s eyesight develops). Tapping into a baby’s surroundings – Hoban showcased simple, yet familiar objects (examples include a bottle, duck, boat, buttons, necklace, flower, apple, and banana), which appeal to babies and become fitting when she/he starts associating shapes and images with words. A great beginner book for any infant! Hoban’s collection of board and picture books are a wonderful series of children’s books – known for their high contrast motifs; these books teach kids about shapes, household objects, and opposites, many books also feature color photography. Board books hold up well for young children and are often easier for them to hold; have a baby hold the book and turn its pages (this action builds a fundamental skill known as print awareness). It's never too early to start enjoying books!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Look Look! by Peter Linenthal, I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy, and My Animals (Black & White) by Zavier Deneus

Other books by this author: A, B, See!, Black & White, Is It Larger? Is It Smaller?, So Many Circles, So Many Squares, Exactly the Opposite, and Shapes, Shapes, Shapes