Lift and Look Dinosaurs

Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408864067
(Age: 0-4) This new Lift and Look board book series from Bloomsbury is reminiscent of the Usborne lift and look board books for young children. These books, which could be classified as very basic information books for babies, speak directly to the reader ('Look at that . . . ! Who could it be?'), thereby encouraging a shared dialogue (presumably the child would respond to the text). Additional interactivity is supported with flaps to lift on each page in order to find the dinosaur. Bright, simple illustrations show different prehistoric environments (forest, sea, volcano) and in each can be seen part of a dinosaur (tail, beak, nails, horns). When the flap is lifted the whole animal can be seen and is named (eg. 'It's Imogen the Ichthyosaurus').
This is a thick board book with hardy flaps so it should stand up to the demands of very young children. This series is suitable for young children to explore independently as well as for a shared story, and may lead to further discussion. The preschool target audience will enjoy lifting the flaps to find the information but some children towards the older end of the age range may find it too simplistic.
Nicole Nelson