Busy Bots (Priddy Books)

September 21, 2020Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is Busy Bots by Priddy Books, a sweet seek-and-find board book for young engineers.

Meet the Busy Bots! These eighteen animal-inspired creatures – with names like Dogbot, Octobot, Spiderbot, etc. – are ingeniously constructed of (photographs of) household supplies, and are introduced in turn to the reader with simple yet cheerful rhyming text. Each page – and each creature – also features a simple seek-and-find of its components; Flingobot, for example, invites young readers to spot the hammer, toy spring, and desk lamp that make up its workings.

Delightful. The unique yet recognizable bots of this title are charming enough to draw in young readers, where they can build skills like shape-matching, letter recognition, and simple sentences. The bright and dynamic photo manipulations are set against eye-catching block color backgrounds, and makes for a visual style that is engaging without being overwhelming for little eyes. The length is perfect, and JJ greatly enjoyed repeat examinations of the artwork and letters. This is a great title for any young reader interested in robots, engineering, and/or animals, and we recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Alphaprints: Puppy Love (Priddy Books)

February 27, 2020Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is Alphaprints: Puppy Love by Priddy Books, the latest addition to the series of simple, colorful board books.

In keeping with the theme of the popular series, five animal families – their heads made of a textured fingerprint pattern and their bodies a cute mix of photos and shapes – are introduced. In each, a short couplet celebrates their love, be it romantic, familial, or love between friends.

Colorful, inoffensive fun. The mixed-media animals are all quite cute, and JJ and I had a great time identifying what their bodies were made of (such as bananas for a puppy’s ears or buttons for a bunny’s nose). The textured “fingerprint” for the characters’ faces were nice too, though it made me wish for more textures to be introduced. It’s a rather brief book, and is probably best for the very youngest of bookworms, yet the book is sturdy and delightfully cheerful; it even features photo tabs to help little fingers open to the exact page they want. It’s not going to break the mold of board books, but it’s enjoyable fare for little readers that celebrates love with adorable animals, and it’s hard to get that wrong. Overall, a short but sweet treat, and Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

A Mischief of Monsters (Priddy Books)

October 31, 2019Leave a comment

Hello friends, and Happy Halloween!! Our book today is Priddy Books’s A Mischief of Monsters, illustrated by Lisa and Damien Barlow, a festive board book of spooky critters.

Focusing on three main concepts – big and little, sounds, and action verbs – this sturdy board book features a colorful collection of furry, slimy, and squishy monsters of all shapes and sizes. Each spread shows a little monster and a big monster performing a set of rhyming actions (snore and roar, munch and crunch, etc). There are also tactile elements: raised and sunken features on each monster that fit into the monster on the opposite page.

Creepy yet cute. Bright colors and extremely creative, expressive creatures are a feast for the eyes, and the tactile elements are nicely done from both a visual and sensory standpoint. There are a few areas that falter a bit, however: the text is surprisingly small for this type of book, even with the action/noise words set in a larger typeface. There’s also a few pages that lean into the “gross” section of imaginary monsters, such as one that shows a small purple monster covered in green ooze (“squelches”) – it’s not the type of thing that would offend every kid or parent, but does appeal to a certain type of sensibility and humor. But overall, this is a fun, spooky-themed romp that most any little monster would enjoy – JJ certainly did! Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Wipe-Clean Activities: Spooky Halloween (Priddy Books)

October 30, 2019Leave a comment

Hello, friends! We have a special bonus review for you today: Priddy Books’s line of Wipe-Clean Activities books, including their newest, Spooky Halloween!

These envelope-sized spiral-bound books are filled with activities that allow kids to express their imagination and challenge their brains. There are puzzles, word searches, and plenty of opportunities for creativity, like designing monsters and Jack-o-lanterns.

These were fun! Each title has dozens of activities to complete, and comes with a little mini dry-erase pen, so kids can doodle and solve to their heart’s content, then wipe it down and start over as many times as they want. The books themselves are sturdy, and a good size for small hands and traveling, though the oblong shape combined with the spiral binding did make it hard to draw on the top of the page at times; the book would either slide a bit on a flat surface, or tip over if held at an angle. Still, JJ and I had a lot of fun; she’s a bit young for some of the puzzles, but loved the creative-drawing aspects and simpler mazes and connect-the-dots-type puzzles. These titles would be great for road trips, plane rides, or rainy-day activities, and we liked them a lot. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: Copies of these books were provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

My Easter Basket: A Colorful Egg Hunt (Roger Priddy)

April 8, 2019Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is My Easter Basket: A Colorful Egg Hunt by Roger Priddy, a sweet interactive board book with lots of color and counting fun.

The egg hunt has begun on the farm! Can you help all the adorable animals find their eggs in time for the big picnic? Each spread features a barnyard scene with a group of animals finding five of a specific color egg (with the reader’s help, of course).

This is your fairly basic holiday board book fare, but with enough visual interest and interactive touches that make it stand out. The book itself is die-cut in the shape of a basketful of eggs, complete with handle for easy carrying. The foil details are a nice touch to help little bookworms spot the seek-and-find eggs in the scenes, which are hidden just well enough (but not TOO well) for a fun searching experience. The book itself is sturdy, though after a little “toddler testing”, I did notice the handle part starting to crease a bit. But overall, this is a fun board book to share with the youngest bookworms, perhaps as an Easter gift. JJ loved it, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)