Big new titles perfect for the littles.
For lots of us, it’s now month three (or is it 30?) of sheltering in place. If you’re quarantining with kids, you might feel especially claustrophobic right now, as this Memorial Day Weekend brings with it no travel, no opening-day trips to the pool, and no cookouts with friends.
But even if day-to-day life seems oppressively narrow, the wider world is still out there: expansive, diverse, and ripe for rediscovering. Here are three colorful books to remind kids — and Mom and Dad — of that fact.
This or That? by Pippa Goodhart (Nosy Crow). The subtitle of this book is “What will you choose at the British Museum?” and all of those choices are fascinating. Page after page is filled with vivid photos of some of the institution’s countless treasures, from an ivory chess piece carved in 12th-century Scandinavia to an Egyptian “funerary offering scene” fragment dating back to 1350 BCE. A helpful index gives the specifics on every item, but feel free simply to immerse yourself in the visuals. They’re captivating.
Beneath the Waves by Lily Murray (Big Picture Press). This exploration of ocean life is full of information, but what truly distinguishes it are the unique illustrations by Helen Ahpornsiri. The image of each creature depicted — from otherworldly sea nettles to deadly kraits — is itself a collage made from foraged leaves and flowers. This added layer of interest means young readers can first admire the animal itself, and then look more closely to decipher the flora used to portray it.
Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of by Natalie Labarre (Nosy Crow). Not sure what you want to be when you grow up? How about an Imax-screen cleaner, a dinosaur-bone duster, an unexploded-ordnance technician, or even a cow massager? Yes, they’re all real positions, and they’re laid out in a splashy, fun way in this oversized, Richard Scarry-like edition that’s infinitely browsable.
