Read on for my thoughts two new board books from Leslie Patricelli, Tooth and Big Kid Bed, courtesy of partner Candlewick Press/Penguin Random House Canada!
Starring Baby from Leslie Patricelli‘s acclaimed and bestselling series of board books (Hair, Toot, No No Yes Yes and many more), Tooth and Big Kid Bed take Baby and readers along for some new surprises and adventures. As Tooth begins, Baby, with eyes open wide and hands over their mouth, states: “My mouth feels funny. Something is happening!”. A small waterfall of drool spilling out of Baby’s mouth is followed by a wider than wide open mouth, and readers soon find out that Baby is getting a tooth! But wait! Not just one tooth- another one! And two more after that! Patricelli’s depictions of Baby getting their teeth is so fantastic and funny in how spot-on she captures, through effortless text and condensed depiction, the essence of the experience. After showing off their four “shiny and white” teeth, Baby takes us through what they can do with their teeth, what not to do with teeth, and importantly, how to take good care of teeth with proper dental hygiene (with some help from adults). My four year old has been watching her little brother go through the teething process and is especially having a blast with all of us reading Tooth together (“That’s just like my baby brother! Look at all that drool, Mommy!”).
Big Kid Bed follows Baby as they prepare for a night of sleep on their “new big kid bed”. Baby’s parents are on hand to help Baby climb in and even take a picture of the occasion. Baby is excited at first because the bed is “so soft” and they have their “own pillow”. However, the bed is also “very, very tall” and Baby worries about falling. So, mom and dad prop lots of pillows around the sides of the bed and bring Baby’s stuffed animals to make sure everything is safe, snuggly, and ready for nighttime. Baby may now be comfortable, but they discover that not only can they move, they can also even (gasp) leave their bed! As Baby goes wandering around, the thought occurs to them: “Should I get into my big kid bed? I don’t have to. I don’t want to!” (cue wily grin). In the end, tiredness wins out after a great big yawn, and Baby does indeed return to the cozy, warmth of their bed…with some animal friends joining in. Leslie Patricelli’s Baby board books have been and continue to be popular with both kids and adults- with their straightforward text, the bright, witty and appealing (and immediately recognizable) overall style, as well as the sincere relatability of the books. Tooth and Big Kid Bed are both terrifically amusing and highly readable and re-readable additions to the series. What great fun!
I received copies of these titles courtesy of Candlewick Press/Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions and comments are my own. Both titles have been published and are currently available.
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