Two Counting Books for Babies and Toddlers

10, 9, 8...Owls Up Late 
by Georgiana Deutsch
Published February, 2018
Silver Dolphin Books
Board Book
26 pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Ten cheeky, bouncy, noisy owls are playing in a tree. It's bedtime, but they're having far too much fun to go to sleep! Uh-oh. Will Mummy Owl ever convince all her little owlets to fly down to the nest?

My Thoughts
Oh my gosh these owls are SO cute, but they are in no hurry to get to bed. Mama Owl keeps trying to get them to rest, but they always have an excuse to stay up. The book uses rich vocabulary on each page. Young readers will hear words such as chuckling, chortling, flittering, fluttering, and chittering to name a few. The rhyming and repetitive text offers a structure littles ones can learn as they read the story over and over again. Each little owl has its own look color pattern and they vary in size. Small speech bubbles are sprinkled in for a dose of dialogue. 
Little ones can count the owls in the cutouts and learn how numbers change when one is taken away. The board book is very sturdy and is just the right size for little hands. 

Image from: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/10-9-8-Owls-Up-Late!/Georgiana-Deutsch/9781684121847

See what others have to say about this book:
The Parenting Patch
The Bookbag

Sesame Street: 5 Little Rubber Duckies
Published February, 2018
SFI Readerlink Dist

Board Book

12 pages

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Join Ernie and his friends on Sesame Street as they try to find five little rubber duckies. With touch and trace elements perfect for little hands and plastic duckies to push and count along, this book is the perfect story time activity for early learners. 

My thoughts

Every kid loved Sesame Street characters. Combing their favorite characters and counting is a winning combination. Ernie's friends take turns borrowing his rubber duckies to play with. However, each time another character takes them, one seems to get misplaced. Finally all of them are missing and Ernie is sad. Then his 5 friends each return one duckie to him in the end. 
The rhyming, simple text is sure to be a hit with young readers. They will be able to count the duckies on each page and run their finger over the indented number on each page. They will also be exposed to subtraction and counting backwards. 

Another neat aspect of the book is the 5 little duckies at the top. These duckies can be moved to count, but will stay in the little box and be there for every page. I played with them and they moved very easily.

I would recommend 5 Little Rubber Duckies for babies and toddlers. 

See what others have to say about this book:

The Parenting Patch

On Honeysuckle Hill

A Rup Life

You're My Little Cuddle Bug by Nicola Edwards

You're My Little Cuddle Bug 
by Nicola Edwards
Illustrated by Natalie Marshall
Published February, 2018
Silver Dolphin Books
18 pages
Board book
Review copy provided by Media Masters


Goodreads Summary
Celebrate your little cuddle bug with this sweet and colorful rhyming board book!

Celebrate your little cuddle bug with this sweet and colorful rhyming board book! With chunky pages for little hands and die-cut cuddle bugs to add depth and interest, children will love the interactive features alongside the story.

My Thoughts
Definitely add this little board book to the library of your little one.  It compares the close relationship between caregivers and babies as each page features the love of a big and little insect. 
With rhyming verses, colorful chunky pages and cute cutouts, babies and toddlers will love hearing it over and over again. 
Grab it this spring! 

Image from Amazon.com

See what others have to say about this book:

Parenting Patch

Katie Reviews Books

Kiss the Book

Pug and Pig trick or Treat by Sue Lowell Gallion and Joyce Wan

Pug and Pig trick or Treat 
by Sue Lowell Gallion 
Illustrated by Joyce Wan
Published July 2017
Beach Lane Books
Hardcover
40 pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Pug and Pig are back for a heartwarming Halloween adventure in this adorable picture book that’s perfect for pet lovers of all ages.
Halloween night has come to Pug and Pig’s house, and the darling duo is sporting matching costumes. The costumes are cozy. They glow in the dark. And they have masks! There’s only one problem—Pug hates wearing his. So he decides to rip it up and stay home. But Halloween just isn’t any fun for Pig without Pug! Can Pug find a way to be a good friend and get back into the Halloween spirit?

My Thoughts

So, so cute!! I first met and fell in love with Pug and Pig in their first book, Pug Meets Pig. See my review here. 

This book is just as sweet as the twosome try to dress up for Halloween. Pug hates his mask and Pig doesn't want to trick-or-treat without his buddy. Finally, Pug comes up with a clever idea that works for both of them. 

This book encourages little ones to examine friendships and what happens when one friend wants something and the other does not. What does it mean to compromise? These are issues that arise continually throughout childhood (and life) and this book provides a platform for discussion.

As I said in my last review, the illustrations are just perfect! These chunky little characters are beyond adorable. Each page is filled with simple colors and illustrations that kids will love.

Image from Simonandschuster.com

I would highly recommend this book (and its prequel) for ages 2-6.  I hope there are more Pug and Pig books to come!

Pug and Pig Trick-or-Treat has earned starred reviews from:

Publishers Weekly
Kirkus

Visit Sue Lowell Gallion's website
Visit Joyce Wan's website

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Big Little Hippo by Valeri Gorbachev

Big Little Hippo 
by Valeri Gorbachev
Published April. 2017
Sterling Children's Books
Fiction
Picture book
40 pages

Goodreads Summary
Little Hippo is the youngest in his family . . . and the smallest. Smaller than his parents and siblings. Smaller than his friends, too, from old Crocodile to giant Elephant. And even though everyone promises he’ll grow, Little Hippo doesn’t want to wait. He wants to be big RIGHT NOW! But when he helps a creature even tinier than himself, Little Hippo learns that it’s the size of his heart that counts most of all. 

My Thoughts

All young children seem to want to grow up and be big or, at least, bigger than someone else. This is what happens with Little Hippo. When he helps a small beetle, he feels big for the first time. You can't help but want to cheer for him as he runs through the forest shouting "I'm big!".  There are elements of repetition and opportunities for children to actively engage with the story.

The ink and watercolor illustrations are done in soft earth tones. The animal characters are very sweet with expressive faces.

Little Big Hippo would make a fun read aloud for ages 2-5. 

See what others have to say about this book:

Kirkus

Kid Lit Reviews

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Oskar Loves by Britta Teckentrup

Oskar Loves...
by Britta Teckentrup
Published Sept. 25, 2016
Prestel Publishing
32 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Bestselling children s author and illustrator Britta Teckentrup is back with Oskar, an engaging new character who loves everything! Oskar, a charming raven, loves trees, red cherries, and the smell of spring. He also loves rain, snow, clouds, books, and the moon. With this book's simple, boldly colored, and beautiful illustrations, children are invited into Oskar s world and in turn to explore the wonders of the world around them. As she has done in her previous books, such as "Grumpy Cat" and "Before I Wake Up ," Britta Teckentrup combines evocative art with a storyline that will appeal to children and those who read to them. Asking, What do you love? "Oskar Loves " invites all of us to take a moment to appreciate the world we inhabit."

My Thoughts

Oscar Loves is perfect in its simplicity. With repeating lines of "Oskar loves..." the reader is brought into Oskar's life. Oskar loves things like the ocean, autumn leaves, cherries, books and pictures. The book ends asking the reader, "What do you love?".  What a lovely question with so many possibilities. It could lead to lots of sharing or possibly creating a class book of things the kids love. 

The illustrations include one or more images of the adorable Oskar on each page. The backgrounds on each page are different. Many are single colors and a few are layered with various colors and textures. 

Image from: http://www.topdrawer.co.uk/products/oskar-loves

I would recommend Oskar Loves for children ages 2-5.

 See what others have to say about this book:

Kirkus

Book Nerd Mommy

Visit Britta Teckentrup's website.

Peekaboo Pals by Becky Davies

Toddlers and preschoolers are a unique group of readers. They love books and listening to stories. They are also quite hard on paper books as they have not figured out how to gently turn the pages. I remember when my children were toddlers. Many of our beloved picture books at home have rips that are taped together. 

I'd like to share three concept books in a new series for toddlers that has books that have thick covers like board books and sturdy pages that are thinner than board book pages, but can better withstand a toddler's repeated handling. They also help teach concepts that toddlers and preschoolers are ready for in a fun and interactive way.

Peekaboo Pals A to Z, Peekaboo Pals 123 and Peekaboo Pals Opposites. 

Goodreads Summary

In Peekaboo Pals: A to Z, children will lift the flaps and be amused by the silly antics of the animals while learning their ABC’s. From an alligator admiring some art to a zebra catching some z’s, each letter of the alphabet is presented in an accessible way so that kids ages 3 and up will not only learn but also laugh as they turn the pages.

Goodreads Summary

It’s time for the Animal Antics Race! Who will be the first to the finish line? In Peekaboo Pals: 123, children will lift the flaps and be amused by the hilarious antics of the animals as they make their way to the checkered flag. Will the winner be three gorillas in a gondola, twelve bears on a bus, twenty turtles on a train, or another team vying for victory? Young learners will delight in the silly animals on these pages and learn how to count from 1 to 100.

Goodreads Summary

Who is flying high one moment, only to come down low the next? Who is quiet with anticipation of a loud celebration? InPeekaboo Pals: Opposites, children will lift the flaps and be delighted by the amusing antics of the illustrated animals while learning about opposites. Colorful illustrations and flaps with hidden surprises underneath will keep youngsters engaged as they learn.

My Thoughts

I wish I'd had these books when my kids were younger. Kids LOVE lift-the-flap books! Each book in this series offers big, colorful illustrations and at least one sturdy flap on each page. They are bigger than board books (8.5 x 9 inches), but not quite as big as most picture books. Little ones will enjoy learning the alphabet, counting to 20 (and the by 10's to 100) and opposites as they interact with these fun books. 

See what others have to say about these books:
Publishers Weekly
Cracking the Cover