Board Books: The Eye Book

Title: The Eye Book

Author: Dr. Seuss (Writing as Theo. LeSing) 

Illustrator: Joe Mathieu 

Publisher: Bright and Early Board Books, 2001

ISBN: 0-375-81240-7

Summary: This board book talks all about our eyes and the things that we are able to see with them.  A boy and a bunny go through the book pointing out the different things that our eyes can see, from objects to colors to people.  In the end, both yell "Hooray for eyes!" for showing us the world.

Evaluation: In true Dr. Seuss fashion, this board book follows a rhyming rhythm throughout the text.  Because of this, the text of the book flows nicely. While this book is more wordy than the other two board books I reviewed, there were not too many words on each page, and the words were broken up by pictures, which I thought was a nice touch since kids tend to not want to look at a page filled with only words. The illustrations to go along with the text were very well done.  Because of the boy and the bunny in the book who were looking at all of the objects mentioned, the pictures were not simply of just that object.  For example, when the book states that our eyes can see the sun, instead of just a picture of a sun, it is a picture of the boy and the bunny with sunglasses on looking up at the bright shining sun above them.  I thought that this was one of the best aspects of the book as a whole.

Rating: I would give this board book 4/5 stars.

Board Books: Moo, Baa, La La La

Title: Moo, Baa, La La La 

Author: Sandra Boynton

Illustrator: Sandra Boynton

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Books, 1982

ISBN: 0689861133

Summary: This board book is all about the noises that different animals make, with a little humor added to it in the form of singing pigs. At the end, the book invited children to get involved by asking what noises they make.

Evaluation: This book is definitely educational without being boring.  The fonts used in the text are fun to look at, and the pages are all bright and colorful.  There are pictures to correspond with each animal that the author is explaining. I really enjoy the end of the book.  On the last page, all of the animals are on one page and are quiet, and the author asks, "What do you say?" to the reader. I thought that was a good way to get the readers engaged. 

Rating: I would give this book 4/5 stars.

Board Books: That's Not my Kitten..

Title: That's Not My Kitten...
Author: Fiona Watt
Illustrator: Rachel Wells
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd. 2006
ISBN: 978079451266-8

Summary: In this board book, there are a series of kittens.  Each kitten has an aspect that makes the kitten not the narrators kitten, such as ears that are too soft, a bell that is too shiny, or a nose that is too smooth. In the end, the narrator finds its kitten, which is the kitten with the nice soft and fluffy tummy.

Evaluation: Being a cat lover, I think that this board book was absolutely adorable. Each page is bright and colorful. Also, each page has something for a child to touch, such as sandpaper to show rough paws, and soft, fur-like cloth that shows the kitten's fluffy tummy. The pictures of the kittens are nice and large, and the colorfulness of each page really attracts the eye. The book is short, sweet, and to the point.

Rating: I would give this board book 3/5 stars.