Lo Cole

{My thoughts} – This is a unique take on lift the flap type books. Instead of lift the flap you turn the page of a smaller book inside the bigger book. The pages coincide with the rest of the book.

This book is all about animals and their habitats. It centers around a main animal in different habitats. The smaller books pages have the main animal and then the outer pages have other animals that go along with the main animal. The first small page is a lion and the bigger pages are zebra, hippopotamus, elephant, giraffe and a sentence that says “Who lives on the plains?”

I really like how this book is put together, because it helps to teach children word association through pictures. It helps teach them other words that relate to the main animals on the smaller books pages. It’s amazing how much babies and toddlers can learn from these kinds of books.

The illustrations are cartoon like, but realistic enough that babies and toddlers will be able to recognize the actual object outside of the books pages. My two year old enjoys this book a lot. She starts by paging through the outer book and then pages through the smaller book if I am not there reading it to her. She really enjoys being able to look at books, but loves being read to even more.

I recommend this book for any child that likes animals and learning more about them. I also think that any child that enjoys books in general has the potential to enjoy reading or having this book read to them on a regular basis.… (meer)

Searching and giggles mix with empathy and understanding to form a cute, fun read.

Doris is a bright, red elephant. No other elephants look anything like her, so she stands out everywhere she goes. And she hates it. Sometimes, she can hide. She's determined to find a place, where no one can notice her. This works somewhat...until it works a little too well.

This is one of those books, which will hold readers' attentions, have them excited to see the next page, and bring giggles, too. The idea is simple but draws listeners in as they not only sympathize with the little elephant but also need to search for Doris themselves. This search fits well to the age group and works even nicely for group readings; it's not difficult to find Doris but does it in a way, which will bring the 'there she is!' expression. More than a couple slightly silly situations add to the fun.

The illustrations are bright and bold. They stay simple in shape and don't concentrate on details. Sticking to what's important, they bring across the needed atmosphere in a basic way, which simply works. These also fit very well to the intended audience level.

There is a message centering around self-love and not being afraid to be different. Preachiness stays far away, though. The message comes in very subtly and, yet, is hard to miss. The last page drives it home in a wonderful way, which surprises and brings a last, very big smile. I received a complimentary and smiled much more than I thought I would while reading it.… (meer)

Looking for a sweet, children's picture book read all about wanting a puppy? YOU GOT IT!

I seriously loved this sweet, little book. It's so cute and adorable, and the illustrations really make it pop. It's minimalistic, but that's what gives it it's charm.

This book goes on and on all about wanting a dog. But what kind? And why? Is it cute? So many questions! It's a wonderful book for preschoolers to have fun and giggle. I highly recommend this as a fun read.

Also, I like cats too.

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.… (meer)