Book Description

Reviews (154)

Easy to read, teaches colors and new words...
This was the first story my daughter learned in Primary/Kindergarten. Each day the kids learned a new color and words for each page of the book. My child really enjoyed bringing home worksheets to show me what was happening in the story.

After she learned the story, I bought the hardcover book to replace the well-worn worksheets that were getting very crumpled. This is truly my daughter's favorite book, and she loves reading it to her sister. Her reading skill has surpassed this level, yet she returns to it for the colorful illustrations, and to remember the joy she had in learning to read. This book rates 5 stars and your child will love the melodic tempo to its words as they learn to read.

Great For First Storytimes
This book is a great first book to read to baby. The text is rythmic and the illustrations are bold, simplistic, and big enough to attract young babies' attention. My son, at 4 months, enjoys this book.

Simple animals and Colors
Yes, I can recite this book by heart. Sometimes we leave the colors out, sometimes we shorten it, but it is a bedtime must. My son likes it when we make the animal noises, too. Good for animal and color identification. This is another book that is good for practicing baby sign language.

Way to Go Bill Martin and Eric Carle! Great classic books!
My son has loved this book and Polar Bear, Polar Bear since he was 1 1/2 and he is now 3. He learned his colors and animals as well as enjoyed the rythmatic way the book reads. He reads this book to me all the time from memory and it is a book we treasure in our house. My nephew has it now too and at 2 1/2 reads it to his mommy too!
Get this book! Take it out from the library and see your child's reaction if you don't believe me. By the time the book is due back, you will be headed to the book store to buy it!

How to Have Real Fun With This Book After 200 Readings
Here's the way to keep this book fresh after multiple readings....start at the last page and read it backwards! My son loved it backwards and years later still can remember me reading "Bear Brown, Bear Brown, See You Do What?" ... Read more

Book Description

Can you find what is round? What is square? In this timeless new split-pageboard book, children can find the bottom half of a page that matches the top half. Find the rightpairs, and you will learn to identify all kinds of shapes. From dome-shaped ladybugs to diamond- shaped kites, this clever board book makes learning fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Learning and playing, playing and learning--it's all one and the samewhen you're a tot. So this big box of block books is an ideal toy and learningtool for very young children. An appealing and colorful cardboard carrying case(with flip-top construction and cheery red string handles) is packed with 26extra-sturdy little board books that teach kids about colors, numbers, shapes,and animals. Each 8-page book focuses on one concept or theme--"Orange," "Four,""Circle," "Bugs," etc.--with a word or two on each spread, along with a simpleillustration. The chunky books are just the right size for tiny hands; readerscan stack them up to build a tower--or a foundation for learning! Consider it anupdated version of the classic wooden alphabet blocks children have grown upwith for generations. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

4 months and still going strong
I bought these for my daughter not knowing how much she would love them. Granted, she is only 11 months, but like the other reviews have said, the books are small enough to fit in her hands. She carries them EVERYWHERE! She even sleeps with a book or two. I love the colors, and the texture as well. With some board books, my daughter has gotten paper cuts, weird I thought. But not from these! They are awesome. I had just bought the ABC ones to start with but now I am getting the learning ones too.

The best first birthday present ever!
My daughter received this for her first birthday. At first she loved reading the little books - which are sized perfectly for a toddler's chubby little hands. After a couple of months she became obsessed with stacking things and would spend time every day stacking and re-stacking the books. They are shaped just right for a young toddler to stack, and are much less frustrating than square blocks.

At about 18 months she got into colors and numbers and loved to sort the books by color and count them. Now at 21 months she is STILL playing with this toy - long after every other first birthday gift went to the attic or the thrift store. And the books and the box are still in great shape - this has to be the sturdiest toy we've ever owned.

I now give this box of books to every one year old I know. I can't say enough wonderful things about this toy!

CAPTIVATING
I bought the Learning Block Books as a gift for my 13 month old niece. Although she was a bit tired (read cranky) at the time, it instantly captivated her. The box that holds the little books is very sturdy and has plenty of extra room to hold them (no struggling to fit them in). She immediately started to put the books in and pull them out. She then began to open them and look at the pictures. The books are color coded (and thick cardboard) so that the shapes and animals follow the same color theme. Since then she has continued to play with them daily and as she grows older the books give the opportunity to continue to learn.

A great companion to the classic ABC Block Book set
Our daughter received the author's set of ABC Block Books as a gift when she was 8 months old, and it has been a beloved staple ever since. These are incredibly versatile book/toys which are effortlessly educational. Stack them, put them in and out of their box, look at the pictures, learn the letters, sort them by color, and of course read them out loud! Hours and hours of fun.

As soon as I saw this new collection I knew we had to have it. My daughter (now 18 months) was so excited! A whole new set...it was like finding the dead sea scrolls. And the books do not disappoint. I particularly like the shape and numbers books. The shapes encourage kids to look at everyday objects in different ways (e.g. pillows and doors are rectangles), and the numbers all conclude with the nice touch of a birthday cake with that number of candles. A winner all around. But if I were to buy just one, I'd still choose the ABC books, just because they're such a simple, natural set. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Babies and toddlers who loved the "real" ladybugs in Ten LittleLadybugs will adore the nine sparkly, three-dimensional butterflies inGood Night, Sweet Butterflies. Each glitter-covered butterfly flitsthrough a color-themed spread which offers a place for the little winged oneto sleep: "on red roses as a red robin sings good night," is the textaccompanying a psychedelic, color-saturated image of birds, flowers, andvarious insects. The meter of the rhyming text is a bit off, which makes ithard to read the book rhythmically, but little ones are likely to be soenthralled with the illustrations that it won’t matter. The thick,kid-friendly pages are easy to turn and hard to tear; the butterflies aresecurely mounted, but not impossible to remove, so it might be a good ideato keep this one for reading together. (Ages 2 to 6) --Jennifer Lindsay ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Good Night, Sweet Butterflies
My 23-month old daughter loves this book. The butterflies are pretty and sparkly, the illustrations are bright and colorful, and the text is flowing and poetic. She asks to read this book nearly every night. It's also a fun way for her to learn her colors!

My Daughter's New Favorite
This book is absolutely beautiful. A brilliant bedtime story with vibrant colors and gorgeous illustrations. Each page teaches a different color and the illustrations boldly burst with that color. ..., is how the book starts off and we are then led all around this color dreamland. ...The butterflies in the book are popped out and sparkly. As we turn each page the color butterfly we are reading about disappears. Each page mentions the color twice and an animal. The last page reunites all the butterflies and the colorful animals as we say goodnight...My daughter loved this book since she was 4 months old. The colorful illustrations keep her interested and she likes to grab at the popped up butterflies. A delightful story I enjoy reading again and again. I sometimes even read it to myself. The purple page is MY favorite.

My daughter loves it
My daughter 1 year old really likes this book. I bought it because of its similarity to the 10 little ladybugs book. It has the same sort of colorful illustrations and I like it better as the ladybugs are not as pretty as the sparkly butterflies. This book teaches colors as each of the butterflies finds a place to stay for the night.

Beautiful book !!
Each page has a color theme that is comparible with the color of the butterfly. Lovely.

Wonderful book with educational value
I bought this book for my 1 year old daughter because it has some beautiful illustrations. Little did I know, we would be reading this book daily at bedtime. Now she's 17 months old and she knows all of her colors, but not just the color pictures in the book. You can ask her to bring you something red and she will bring you the nearest red toy she finds! I attribute much of her progress to this book. Mom likes it too! ... Read more

Book Description

This hilarious lift-the-flap features animals and the underwear they wear! Kids will roar with laughter as they lift each flap and reveal boxers on a horse, furry undies on a crocodile, leafy green bloomers on a sheep, and more. We save the best for last, though--on the final spread, an elephant is hiding behind a large leaf...for good reason. He forgot to put on any underwear! This is a fun way to teach colors...and the importance of wearing your drawers! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Boy Humor for a 5 year old
My 5 year old son just received this book as a gift. We had to read it at least 10 times in one sitting and he wants to read it again but it was time for dinner. He could not stop laughing and he wanted to help read this book. Roll on the floor humorous ending!!! (remember for a 5 year old boy) He already has many parts memorized. ... Read more

Book Description

"While walking through a toy store, the day before today, I overheard a

crayon box with many things to say..." Once upon a time, Shane DeRolf wrote

a poem. It was a deceptively simple poem, a charming little piece that

celebrates the creation of harmony through diversity. The folks at the Ad

Council heard it--and liked it so much that they made it the theme for their

1997 National Anti-Discrimination Campaign for Children. Following on the heels

of nearly a year's worth of televised public service announcements, Random

House is phonored to publish the picture book, illustrated in every color in

the crayon box by dazzling newcomer Michael Letzig and conveying the sublimely

simple message that when we all work together, the results are much more

interesting and colorful.




... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great for Diversity & Team Workshops
I use this story with just about every adult and youth group I speak to. I use it to build upon our diversity and how if we all get together (as the crayons do in the book) the picture is complete.

This is a MUST BUY if you work with any age group. The story is so simple, yet powerful.

One of my favorites!
I frequently use books to teach lessons (in an indirect way) to students. My area of expertise is teaching students with disabilities.

For the individuals that I teach, it is important to make them think about issues -- rather than "telling" them what to think.

This books lends itself to some great discussions. Recently a friend of mine used it with members of the Student Council at our high school -- they LOVED it!!!

A must have...(along with Giraffes Can't Dance).

J. Michael Woods, M.Ed.
Teacher, Exceptional Student Education
Doctoral Student, Florida Atlantic University

Not just for kids!
We regularly use this book for team building training for teens and adults. Before "story time" we hand out crayons to the group. The participants are asked what color they would like and then are given a different color (as an example that in life you don't get to pick your gifts and talents!). And then everyone gets to sign the book with their crayon. This book is a hit with all ages and a fun way of dealing with the serious topics of respecting differences and working as a team.

Wonderful Book About Cooperation
This book is great for children at the elementary level. It teaches about cooperation and how to get along with others.

The Crayon Box That Talked has a lot to say!
This is my son's favorite book. I used to read it to him (he's 4) but now he reads it to me...and I learn something new everytime he does.

The poem is simple yet profound...it's about a box of crayons that doesn't get along until...well, read it and find out!!!

It's a must have for all home libraries. Adults can learn a lot from this book, too. ... Read more

Book Description

Dr. Seuss's youngest concept book is now available in a sturdy board book

designed especially for his youngest fans. All of the original stunning

illustrations and imaginative type designs of Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher are

here, as are the intriguing die-cut squares in the cover. A brighter, more

playful cover design makes this board book edition all the more appropriate as

a color concept book to use with babies or a feelings and moods book to discuss

with toddlers.




... Read more

Reviews (45)

Not your usual Dr. Seuss - but terrific!
My daughter is a huge fan of this book - and so am I! I won't say that about too many children's books... As cute as some of them are, I can only make so many dog noises and elephant sounds in a day (over and over). But this is a book that we both agree on.

First of all, the book is beautiful. The colors are great. I love the illustrations. They're colorful but subtle, not your normal "in your face" Seuss (of which I am a fan).

Second, the book is just the right length for a toddler. Some of the other Seuss, while funny, is long. This is just about perfect.

Mostly, however, I like the message of this book: that you can be in one mood one day and another mood another day and that's okay. I think really small children, especially toddlers, have a difficult time understanding the concepts of mad and glad and sad... We expect them to be "on" at happy all day long. But they really are just little people and they experience different feelings, too. I like that this book says that's okay.

Yeah, the message is a little "touchy feely" but the book doesn't come across that way at all. It's Seussy-y without the camp, but with the same sense of rhyme and optimism. It works.

A beautifully illustrated book and unlike any other Seuss
My Many Colored Days was written a long time ago, but Dr Seuss felt that he couldn't adequately illustrate it. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher provided paintings which add incredible dimension to the text.

The result is a wonderful visual metaphor for presenting the gamut of emotions and a clever way of talking about feelings with one's child, whether it's a grey day and we feel down; a yellow day where we're busy as a bee, or a mixed up day.

Love it!
When I read this book to my children (ages 4 & 1) I always try to emphasize the emotions & feelings behind each color & painting using my voice...I think it is an excellent book for opening up a dialogue with kids about their emotions & learning how to express them.

The paintings are inspiring but ordinary in a way that when you look at them you think "I could paint that!". Really a great, great book! It's a continuous favorite in our house, a must have for every child's book shelf!

I recommend the board book for younger kids because it IS so well loved & read. The images on the pages definately call out to be touched by little hands!

tomorrow could be different
I would highly recommend this book to anyone--young & old alike! I think it is especially good reading for those feeling like they are in a slump and finding it hard to move on. This book shows that today you might feel like it's a black, brown, or purple day, but if you hold on until tomorrow, you may have a yellow or pink day. Although this book was purchased for my two toddlers, who both love it, this is a coffee-table book at our house.

My 10 month old's favorite book
I wouldn't have expected it but this is my 10 month old son's favorite book. I think he likes the bright colors. Also the way the text is written inspires you to change your voice which he really has enjoyed. The bright colors, simple but cute graphics, short and rhyming verse all combine to make a really neat book. This is the first book that my son has really showed interest in, he actually coos and babbles and touches the pages as I read it to him. He sits through the whole book and likes it to be read to him more than once every day. I've tried "Goodnight Moon", "Guess How Much I Love You", "The Runaway Bunny", "Mother Goose", etc but no other book has fasinated him so far as much as this book. I'd highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A Real Treat for Spanish Speaking Pre-Schoolers
Bill Martin's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" is an early childhood classic, and this Spanish translation maintains all of the qualities that make it a hit with younsters. The captivating illustrations soothe even the most rambunctious of tots. The lyric repetition of language make it a natural for developing Spanish literacy or communication skills. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kids love to hammer, saw, turn bolts, and build things. But of coursereal tools are a little too hazardous for those tiny fingers. So Caldecott Honorartist Stephen T. Johnson (Alphabet City) came up with afun and educational solution: a combination toolbox and book! With its sevensturdy cardboard tools, bolts and screws that really turn, and erasable slate,this handy kit will provide hours of entertainment--and may keep thoseyoungsters out of the grownup toolbox. Each two-page spread features a removableworking tool and a different shape to work on. Turn the hand drill in thepremade holes in a triangle. Pound pretend nails into a star shape. Cut a pieceof "wood" into two rectangles--with a satisfying rasping sound! While they'rebecoming amateur carpenters, children will learn some basic skills in counting,shapes, and colors; on each colorful background, readers see one piece of paper,two pieces of wood, three holes, and so on up to six nails. This handsome redbook includes a pencil, ruler, saw, drill, screwdriver, wrench, hammer, andslate for drawing up plans. Smaller children may need some help prying the toolsout of their snug compartments, at least until the tools get a little worn in.(Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Most Favored Christmas Gift!!
I'm a big fan of interactive and pop-ups and this book is no disappointment! My 4 year old son loves this working tool book, and true, if you want it preserved, supervise, but what fun is that? I'd say it's for ages 4 to 9 - to age 94! I had fun with him. The cardboard is as sturdy and thick as possible - get two if you really care about replacing parts. The Sketch pad in the front of the book created all types of creative imagery play for my son. He definitely favored this gift over modern commercial type toys. FUN FUN FUN!!

Great Idea, But Breaking Tools Far From "Toddler-Proof"
A terrific concept, clever and visually appealing, teaches children not just how tools work but also about shapes, colors and counting. Parents and children alike want to love this book, which is why it is so disappointing to find that the "sturdy cardboard" tools break quite easily after being played with just a couple of times by a typical toddler.

My 3-year-old boy was in tears when both the wrench and hammer broke during the first day of use because he bent them. Toddlers will bend toys if they are bendable! When we taped the tools back together, they no longer fit into their slots.

This seems to be a book that evolved from the author's great idea into the publisher's slick package. In the end, it is frustrating and sadly impractical for its recommended age group.

This is a great interactive book
I am a nanny. I get this present almost every year for any family I work with that has 3yr to 5yr old children. This book is not for children who are hard on their toys. This book is great because children can play with the thick cardboard toy tools in the book or around the house. Any child that I have ever sat for has played for about 30 min with this book at a time. You have to remember that this book is not a toy, but children love to play with the tools so much that you would think it was one. Any book that can keep a 4 year olds interest for 5 min. is a keeper in my book. Plus they are learning at the same time...without something that requires batteries!! Goodluck and I hope you find this book as enjoyable as I know your children will.

Boring!
1. It needs an adult to get the pieces out of the book.
2. Once out, they held the attention of our 4-year-old for about 5 minutes. They don't "do" anything.
3. Would have been a complete waste of money, apart from the fact that it kept our 16-month-old amused for 30 minutes.

rapidly destroyed
If you like toys which won't hang around for years this is perfect for you. My son wanted to really screw and pound and had a little difflculty at first understanding the limitations of these tools and keeping them in the context of this book. There are many better choices for play tools out there, save yourself from having to deal with the disapointment of your child when his screwdriver or drill tears in two. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (18)

Love to paint them mousies, mousies what I love to paint
I'm curious. Why do the best picture books explaining color involve solely, and with few exceptions, mice? I mean, just consider Denise Fleming's fantastic "Lunch" or Ed Young's stunning, "Seven Blind Mice". For some reason, mice are just prone to well written color-infused storylines. "Mouse Paint" is no different.

Three adorable albino mice (able to hide from clever cats by standing on white pieces of paper) come across three jars of pain. On is red, one is yellow, and one is blue. Thinking, in a typical mousy fashion, that the jars of paint are Mouse Paint, the three climb in. Next, they set about dipping their toes in other colors, creating whole new combinations. Thus, kids learn that when a red mouse does a jig in a puddle of yellow paint, his feet will eventually turn a bright cheery orange. By the end of the tale, the mice are painting all sorts of colors hither and yon, mixing and matching shades in all sorts of new and exciting ways.

The book is made from a series of cut-paper collages. You wouldn't necessarily know this when looking at it, however. These mice have verve and pep. Their puddle dances are lively and entertaining. There are subtle in-jokes, such as the mice washing themselves clean in a large bowl that reads, "CAT". And to top it all off, they're pretty darn cute to boot. Though I've seen good books explaining colors to kids, this is the best I've seen that explains how to create a new color out of the combination of two others. All in all, it's a good read and an entertaining one as well.

Laugh and Learn!
We stumbled on this award-winning picture book by accident - but what a find! Three clever mice, illustrated by author Ellen Stoll Walsh in colorful cut-paper collage, discover three jars of "mouse paint." With childlike curiousity they dive right inside. And like children who can't resist splashing in puddles (mine included), the mice "splash" and "mix" and "dance" until they make a colorful mess. My daughters were already learning to identify colors. With Mouse Paint I was able to introduce the mixing of colors RED, BLUE, and YELLOW to create GREEN, ORANGE, and PURPLE - a concept they would not have learned until later.

Passes the kid test with flying colors!
I know...corny heading--but so true. My three year old loves this book, and my 20-month old goes crazy for it. We checked Mouse Paint out from the library, then rechecked it out, and finally ordered our own copy. When the book arrived, my toddler exclaimed, "Daddy! Mouse Paint!"

This is a cute and clever telling of how mixing paint colors brings new colors. The pictures are simple, but appealing, as is the text.

Bottom-line: If your children are 0-3 buy this book!

Great book for teaching kids about color!
This is a great book! I use it as an introduction to Kindergarten and Early Childhood students for color! They especially get a kick out of the book when they see the last page, wondering what the cat will do!

Short and Sweet
This book is perfect for little ones especially with their short attention spans. The pictures are appealing and a mommy or daddy can point out all the colors in the book. The story is cute and has great educational value teaching little ones about colors. My son (18 mos) really enjoys this book and sits on the floor and looks at the pictures by himself as much as he has me reading it to him. ... Read more

Book Description

What color is a bluebird? Easy to answer, but even easier when you have thecolor to match it with. Find the color in the top half of a page that matches the picture on thebottom half. From pink flowers to purple grapes, this colorful book is full of fun and surprises.Children will love solving these color puzzles featuring Eric Carle’s bold and vibrant artwork. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Fashionistas start young, it seems.
To the bafflement of most of the knowledgeable children's literature world, "Ella Sarah Gets Dressed" garnered itself the prestigious and highly sought after Caldecott Honor Award in early 2004. It beat such potential contenders as Peter Sis's, "Tree of Life" and Gerald McDermott's, "Creation", both far worthier (in my humble opionion) winners. This isn't to say that the book is bad. As a charming tale about a stubborn toddler and her intense desire to wear the clothing of her own choice, the book is sweet and good-natured. Just the same, I was amazed by its reception.

As far as the plot goes, it's fairly basic. Ella Sarah plods around the house in her sheep pajamas, a floppity stuffed animal (with the nose and mouth of a martini glass) accompanying her wherever she goes. Right from the start, our heroine knows exactly what kind of clothing she would like to wear. Says she, "I want to wear my pink polka-dot pants, my dress with orange-and-green flowers, my purple-and-blue striped socks, my yellow shoes, and my red hat". Her mother complains that the outfit is too dressy. She suggests an alternative, which is met with Ella Sarah's reiterated desire. Her father says it's too fancy and she repeats her outfit (this time accompanied by a very realistic tantrumesque stamping on the floor). Her older sister says it's too silly and offers some clothes she's outgrown. Now the stuffed animal goes flying, as Ella Sarah proclaims her perfect outfit for the last time. Carefully she dresses herself in the colorful eclectic ensemble. When the doorbell rings we see that her friends are just as snazzy as our intrepid heroine. And with that, the four friends sit down to tea and donut holes. It is a colorful sight.

Cute plot all right, but it's the illustrations that really take your breath away. Using a kind of paper cutout style (the publication page is a little unclear about this, content to merely call the process, "a variety of printmaking techniques") everyone is presented with a series of rounded colorful forms. We never see the heads of Ella Sarah's parents or older sibling, which makes perfect sense. After all, we're on a toddler's level with this book. No surprise there. Especially enjoyable are the printed backgrounds that make up the wallpaper, bedspreads, and rugs in this story. As for the outfit Ella Sarah eventually dons, it's a pip. If there is an award winning moment in this book then it is the two-page spread of the protagonist doffing a bright red hat. The hat is not only colorful, but also tilted at a rakish angle. It's just a quick moment of kiddie noir before we're back to the usual story.

Kids reading this tale will be inspired by it. It has the capacity to not only send a message like, "Just be yourself" but to also encourage kids to learn how to dress themselves. And heck, any kid with a wardrobe like Ella Sarah and her friends will probably want to learn how to dress forthwith. As you can see, this is a darling tale. It's not the most inspired or original in the world, but it has a very particular knack and charm to it that's adorable. A tale that will entice not only the parents of the world, but their kids as well.

Ella Sarah: What She Ought To Wear....
Ella Sarah is a young woman with a mind of her own... a very young woman with a mind of her own.

This brightly bold picture book reflects the personality of the protagonist. Everyone else gives her "their wisdom" and seems to forget Ella Sarah has a vision all her own.

At the end, Ella Sarah follows her heart and wears exactly what she wanted to all along.... and then her friends who know and cherish her exactly as she is arrive and.... well, its a loving, bright and bold ending as well.

Your children will love this, especially those who are bold, bright little ones who have their own strong fashion opinions. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Van Gogh's World of Color
My daughter loved looking at the pictures in this book, and asked for it every night for weeks. At one, the text was too advanced for her, but we would talk about the pictures--object names, colors, and other things she could relate to. I think when she's a little older, she'll still enjoy the pictures, but will also be able to appreciate the text. From my perspective, a "baby book" that lasts beyond babyhood is pretty rare. Her Baby Einstein books are among the few of her "baby board" books that we are keeping so she can enjoy them again when she's older.

Have not made up my mind.
Personally I love this book. I am a huge Van Gogh fan so this book is perfect for me, however, it is supposed to be made for my son. He is not old enough to enjoy it yet, but I am not sure if he ever will

Great alternative to standard baby books!
As a die-hard Van Gogh fan, I was thrilled when I found this book. I was concerned that my 6-month old wouldn't be interested, but she loved it! The tabs make it easy for her to turn the pages herself, and the bright colors attract her attention. Now, at 11 months, she focuses enough that I can read the colors to her and point out objects in the pictures. It is a wonderful alternative to standard, cartoony baby books. I wish they made similar books for other famous artists! (How about Picasso? Monet? Georgia O'Keefe?)
Unlike the reviewers who complained that the book is just like the video, I have focused on books rather than television. My daughter loves this book, and I'm sure she will someday be thrilled the first time she is able to recognize a painting as Van Gogh.

Baby Einsteins Van Gogh
While this book may appear to be only for the little tykes don't let it fool you. Children as old as 40 have been known to read and like this book. What a great way to introduce Van Gogh in a simple, non-threatening way. Baby Einstein is a genius!

great way to introduce art!
My kids love the Van Goat character from the Baby Van Gogh video, and were really happy to see him appear in this book. The book shows art by Van Gogh with suggestions of ideas on how to talk about the art with your baby, and is a good way to teach color. We love it! Totally unique! ... Read more

Book Description

Ladybugs, cherries, roses, and strawberries are just some of the things that are red in this first concept book that introduces the wonderful world of colors.

DK proudly reintroduces 10 favorite board books from the beloved My First series, all with beautifully redesigned covers for a fresh new look. Filled with full-color photographs and large, easy-to-read text, My First Board Books provide children with an excellent platform for early learning. A variety of first concepts, such as colors, numbers, letters, and more are introduced in a fun, informative way to help children build the vocabulary and basic language skills that form the foundation of learning. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent!
I cannot say enough about how good this series of books is. We have all the titles that are avaiable in Australia and they are the most well-read books in our Children's library.
They are the perfect-sized books for your little one and a great way to get them interested in learning to love books. The pages are strong and sturdy and will take any amount of page turning your little one can dish out.

The best thing about these books is the wonderful photography of each item - clearly labeled with it's name. As you read this book over and over to your child it won't be long before they are the ones pointing to the picture and telling you what it is.

I've read this series of books (over and over)to my children since they were about 6 months old. The eldest (now 4 and a half) still flicks through the books and has started to point things out and say the words to her little brother.

Highly recommended!

Great for learning colors
This is one of the best color books I have seen. Each color gets two to four pages and a variety of real life items are shown for each color. For instance, red has two intro pages with a red fire engine on a mostly red background and then two pages that show a red car, a ladybug, a red t-shirt, red shoes, red strawberries, a red toothbrush and a red flower.

This book is good at allowing kids to see what the objects have in common which in this case is the color. Too many color books show only one object per color and when my son was younger I always wondered if he thought the word "red" referred to a strawberry or that the word "green" referred to a frog. This book makes it clear because he sees several different items described as green so he knows the word "green" refers to the color and not the object itself. ... Read more

Book Description

This series of full-color board books, with both English and Spanish on each page, will intrigue youngsters while helping them build vocabulary and an awareness of the world around them.

The books feature charming illustrations and thoughtfully chosen words, offering an enchanting introduction to vocabulary. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A companion to the popular One Yellow Lion and Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings, Matthew Van Fleet's Spotted Yellow Frogs is an engaging fold-out book for babies and preschoolers. Each spread introduces a new pattern, 3-D shape, and color. For example, one set of pages has the words "Striped Orange" on the left, and on the right is a striped orange cube entitled "Cube." Fold out the cube, and voilà! A pride of tumbling, striped-orange tigers appears. Young children will love the peek-a-boo approach of the book, but parents and teachers should let kids know that the patterns shown in the book are not necessarily the only patterns one might find in the animal kingdom. For example, beetles are not always "zigzag red" and butterflies aren't always "swirly purple." The book closes with a 36-inch-long, fold-out page featuring all seven shapes. Readers are asked to call out the names of the shapes, colors, and patterns, and to guess which animals hide behind each. The flip side shows a jumble of all the animals, so kids can pick out which animals are matched with the "wrong" pattern. Spotted Yellow Frogs is an excellent learning tool, and a book that children will want to read again and again. (Baby to preschool) --Aimee Damman ... Read more

Reviews (6)

a 2 year olds favorite
My son calls it the sticky tongue book. I like to call it a wonderfully illustrated and educational book for young children. 3d shapes are shown in different colors and patterns and then open up to show a scene of different creatures underneath. A red zig zag ball turns to a family of red zig zag beetles tickling each other and playing, one is eating and one is sleeping. My 2 year old loves the humor in the pictures. He asks to read this book every day.

Perfect for squirmy babies!
We got this book with a bunch of other hand-me-downs, and now I'm planning on getting the others from this author. My daughter is almost a year, and she gets squirmy every time we try to read any book but this one. With this book, she sits still, and looks so intently at the pages, laughing as we open each flap. Every time I say "the end", she signs "more". She could sit and read it over and over. While the shapes are more advanced than a baby will understand, I highly recommend this book for little ones, as well as preschoolers!

My 3 year-olds new favorite
It's a good thing I love this book, because I've had to read it every day for the past two weeks and there is no end in sight to my son's enthusiasm. Not only is it a good introduction to complex shapes, but the illustrations are phenomenal. The animals are drawn with complex emotions on their faces that are fun to discuss with my child. From bored to exhausted to annoyed to surprised to delighted to perplexed and on and on, with small details in the background that my son loves to look for over and over. This one will be a gift to other children from now on.

Very clever and fun to read
My 25 months old daughter liked the "Fuzzy Yellow Duckling" book she discovered at playgroup, and I decided that it was worth ordering from Amazon.com. While reviewing the selection by the same author, I ended up buying this one too. It hasn't been a disappointment, my daughter loves both books although I feel that this one is more suitable for slightly older children since the shapes it teaches are things like cubes, columns, wedges etc. Still, it's a great and very clever little book with a wonderful "ending" of double sided long "synopsis" of the book. I think I will buy the 3rd book by this author soon.

3-D Shapes Center Resource
I used this book in a learning center for a second grade class to reinforce the concept of 3-D shapes. They loved the illustrations which provided an excellent visual format for the concept. The minimal text makes it very readable yet the vocabulary is challenging enough for all reading levels. Considering it was written for preschoolers, the older kids loved it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Error-filled
As other reviewers have noted, there are problems with this book, despite its laudable intent. In short, it is doubtful that the author speaks fluent Spanish herself, and it seems as if she simply opened a Spanish-English dictionary to create the book.

For example, for 'azul/blue' she displays a fish, which she calls a "pescado." As any second-year Spanish student can tell you, the animal is a 'pez' whereas prepared food is called 'pescado' (literally, "that which has been fished"). Also, on the back cover she writes "¡Recolecte todos los libres en la serie!" (Collect all the books in the series). The verb "recolectar" means "to gather", not "to collect" as in a collection (she needed to use "coleccionar")

As a Spanish professor, I commend her good intentions with this book, but I cannot recommend this book until the errors are corrected.

Great way to teach colors in English & Spanish
At first, I resisted purchasing books from this series because I wanted an actual picture of whatever was being described, like in the "My First Board Book" series by DK Publishing. However, I believe that "Mis Colores" is an excellent way to teach colors, and succeeds in one place where the Board Book Series (and some others) fail. I do not like when colors and shapes are combined, for example, "red square."

In regards to another reviewer's comments, my understanding of Spanish is that the article is placed before the noun, so "el pescado" is correct and just "pescado" is not. This is also another detail that I have noticed many bilingual board books lack.

A great series for early language acquisition
I have been using this entire series with my son since he was born, and he is now 14 months. He loves the pictures and turning the pages. The books use the format of one word per page and it gives both the English and Spanish form of the word. This is a great series for early language acquisition.

I am a bilingual Spanish/English speaker. My ethnic background is Cuban and Mexican. It is quite correct to use the article in front of the Spanish version of the word and not the English for one simple reason. English words are all gender neutral, while Spanish words all have gender, which the article helps you identify. The color spelling also changes based on gender, so you must know the gender in order to know how to say the color. For example, la manzana es roja, even though the color is rojo.

Also, cafe and marron are both correct for brown.

Adorable little book
I LOVE this book. So does my 1-year old. He has self full of books and always wants this one. I think it's the colors, pictures and overall size of the book. It is important to me for him to learn some key Spanish words--that is why I got this book. Not to TEACH him the entire language.

P.S.
I've always heard of brown being called "cafe" in Spanish...

Good, But Needs a Better Translator
We purchased 3 in this series of books because we are trying to raise a bilingual child. Overall, I must commend the books. The colors are brilliant, the images full and fun for our child (she's been enjoying the books since she was 6 months old and is now a year old). I also am happy that the book has board pages. I have, however, two complaints regarding the translation. 1)The book introduces animals in English as fish, but in Spanish as "el pescado." I see no reason to put the word "the" in front of the Spanish but not in front of the English (either "the fish" and "el pescado" or just "fish" and "pescado." This is done throughout the book. Another problem, for me at least, is that the book gets the Spanish word for the color brown wrong. It says "cafe" is Spanish for brown - well the only thing I have heard Spanish speakers call "cafe" is coffee! Just to see if that has to do with the fact that I do not know persons from all Spanish speaking nations (but I do know Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Ecuadorians, Argentinians, Panamanians, Columbians, Peruvians, and Spanish) I looked it up in a Larousse Grand Dictionary. For the color brown the following Spanish words are offered: "carmelita," "marron," "castano" (which means brunette). The sole definition under "cafe" is coffee. A book that presents itself as a learning tool should not make an error like this. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (12)

Introducing Reading
This book was reviewed in a graduate course in reading that I was taking. "I Went Walking" is a predictable print book. Such books are excellent in the very early stages of reading. Children memorize the book as you read it over and over and over again. Repetition the very thing our adult mind questions, children ask for repetition that they need. They learn to "read" you the book even when the book is not there. This stage of memorization is the first stage of reading. The child then moves to recognizing the words. For example, "Is this word 'cow'?" So both kindergarten teachers and parents can use this book. It is good to have a half dozen of these predictable print books at home. (Look up: Dorothy Butler's "My Brown Bear Barney".)

This book is a treasure
I discovered "I Went Walking" when I taught first grade. It was a part of their literature series early in the year. I have no children of my own and I own both the board book and the paperback edition of this book because I love the illustrations and the rhythmical quality of the text. As someone who has professionally worked with children ages 2-12, I find that this kind of text is invaluable to early readers (ages 2-7). Children can easily pick up on the patterns in the sentences and begin developing many pre-reading skills (like being able to identify the left to right movement of written sentences). To find books that your young child will want to read over and over again is a jewel in their literacy development. To find books like this that you will want to read over and over again with your child is a treasure box of time shared!

Good companion for Brown Bear, Brown Bear
This is just like the Brown Bear book. I love Julie Vivas' illustrations. Repetitive text makes it easy for your child to read with you (or to you!).

Perfect for Big Book usage
I developed a lesson plan for 1st grade students using the big book version of this book. The "what is coming next" theme of the book is perfect for young children to form predictions.

Get this AND "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See"
Our son loves this book. In his shorthand he calls it "walking" and asks for it regularly when we sit down to read. I read a review that indicated this book is too similar to "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, etc." but I would disagree. Our son likes them both equally but they do not seem interchangeable to him (or to me for that matter). I would also echo the comment that the child character is appealingly ambiquous and could be either gender. The quality of the illustration and the story presented are delightful. ... Read more

Book Description

Little blue and little yellow share wonderful adventures. One day, they can't find one another. When they finally meet, they are overjoyed. They hug until they become green. But where did little blue and little yellow go? Are they lost? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A little bit of this, a little bit of that
Ever feel like you've been stumped by a book? Like a moral of a story has been staring you in the face and you're just too slow or dim-witted to get it? Such was my reaction after reading Leo Lionni's elusive, "Little Blue and Little Yellow". I liked it. Of course I did. But on my honor as a gentleman I just did NOT get the book's message. Which is perhaps exactly as it should be.

We all are familiar with Leo Lionni's work, even if we don't initially think we are. Whether you've seen his cut out mice or forest scenes, his is a recognizable style. In this particular book Lionni has relied on roughly hewn pieces of brightly colored paper (or is it fabric?) to tell a story. The tale follows two blobs of color. On is Blue. The other is Yellow. Yellow and Blue are good friends and lead productive blobby lives with their other little friends. They play games, attend school, etc. One day Blue looses Yellow for a little while and when they are reunited they hug until they meld into a single splotch of green. The single green splotch, however, looks nothing like Blue or Yellow. Whatever will our intrepid heroes do?

Suffice to say, all turns out well in the end. The status quo is maintained, peace reigns, yadda yadda yadda. So what's the moral of the story? Just to help you figure it out, the last two pages of the text display Blue and Yellows momma and poppas hugging one another until THEY turn green. Maybe it doesn't mean anything at all. But it certainly does make for an interesting tale. Nothing like simplicity to tie up the ole synapses for a while.

I can see children enjoying this book. I can also see different children growing bored with this book. It really is going to depend on the child more than anything else. If you have a kid that likes rousing adventures about (oh I dunno) tangible objects, this may not be the book for them. If, however, you've a child who's a little more dreamy. A little more open to different kinds of stories and characters, consider this book a perfect fit. Colorful, interesting, and unique. Lionni does many things with this book, but he does not disappoint.

The Excitement of Finding this Little Treasure!
As a child I was read to from this book and then I read it myself. This was hands down my favorite book. As a grandparent, I thought how appropriate this book is today as we are all living in a blended society and that's exactly what Little Blue and Little Yellow do----they blend, make green and have fun along the way.....They learn it's fun to make new "friends", and color doesn't matter...it's what's inside that makes you special!! Amazon.com had it with one click......I visited a brick and morter store and my search was futile!! Amazon.com is the HERO again!!

One of my favorites books as a little girl
My parents' copy of this wonderful, colorful picture book is taped back together after reading it to three young children. I remember loving the pictures and the simple story. I plan on reading it to my kids (if I can only get my mom to give it up!) and hope they'll love it as much as I did. Little Blue and Little Yellow is such a fantastic book because of the universal concepts in it: love, friendship, and parenting. I recommend it to teachers, parents, babysitters, and kids.

Delightfully simple
This is a book I read many times as a child. I still have
that worn copy and treasure it as one of my favorites. It tells
a story of friendship in which the characters are illustrated by torn
circles of colour. A little colour theory is added to the mix
(yellow and blue become green) and all ends happily. Some
reviewers I think read a little too much into it and see comments
about racial prejudice. The parents' are not prejudiced,
they simply do not recognize their children. Delightful!

Amazing little book that is also educational
This is a sweet book that is simple yet complex. On the surface it is a story of two color friends that blend together, but if you look deeper you can see the lessons of race relations. One of my favorite books by Lionni. ... Read more

Book Description

Dora is playing hide-and-go-seek with Boots. And Dora thinks she can find Boots by looking for things that are red, just like his red boots. Readers can help Dora by lifting the flaps to find her friend -- and other things that are red! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Where is Boots?
This was my daughter's first Dora book, which we received as a gift for her first birthday, before either of us even knew who "Dora" is. My daughter fell in love with it and at 22 months, still asks to read it at times. She is now a big Dora fan. Basically, Dora is playing hide and seek with her best friend, "Boots," and on each page there is a flap to lift to see if he is there or not. I give it a 5 based on her enjoyment of it over the months. ... Read more