Recent research indicates that there has been a decline in both children’s reading for pleasure and the frequency of parents reading aloud to children. For some, sharing books is no longer seen as something to enjoy. How to encourage a change in this attitude is something that experts are continuing to research and to discuss however I would like to highlight some books that both help very young children to learn but are also fun to share and to play with.

Priddy Books publish innovative titles for babies, toddlers and young children and their cleverly designed books use simple novelties that spark children’s creativity and encourage their development and awareness of the world around them. I can vouch for the fact that my own 2 year old grandson finds them appealing and engaging. These are the type of books that small children return to and choose themselves. The books below would be great for pre-schoolers of about 2 or 3 upwards for either home or Early Years settings.

Match and Sort: Colours and Match and Sort: Shapes

These two books are part of the Priddy Smart range and feature friendly looking animal characters depicted in a bright colour palette. Each book is designed to teach small children about first concepts in appealing and playful manner. The covers feature a gate fold providing guidance for the adult on how to use the book, an introduction to the animals featured within the text and a felt backed sorter for children to place the their felt pieces in one place.

In Colours each spread introduces a different colour and children are invited to find the correct piece to place on the felt board page. For example the pink ice cream van or the purple flower. There are also questions asking the child to match an item depicted at the bottom of the page with something of the same colour within the narrative. This provides multiple learning opportunities and a chance for the adult to discuss the pictures, ask questions and encourage further interaction.

The Shapes book follows the same format but explores a range of shapes such as circles, rectangle, heart, hexagon and diamond. It also allows the adult to build on the colours learned in the first book. Once again the text depicts familiar situations such as the supermarket or a birthday party. The questions in the text are designed to prompt conversation and encourage children to recognise shapes in the objects that they see around them. The detail in the illustrations is well done and full of items little ones will recognise and enjoying naming. The animals in both books are named in a manner that encourages children to recognise and learn letter sounds, for example, Marnie Mouse and Tony Tiger. Each book includes a handy envelope section to store the felt pieces too.

Little Kids, Big Questions: Farm and Baby Animals

These two interactive board books are great fun for very young children with lots of opportunity for them to get involved using tabs, flaps, pop-ups and more. In Farm key bite sized facts about all manner of things found on the farm from buildings, animal homes, tractors and other vehicles to crops, a range of animals and how they are cared for are included. There is a great deal of information packed into this relatively small board book conveyed through questions, short answers and guided learning in picture form in both illustration and photo format. Children are asked which animal sleeps in a barn? Where do eggs come from? What is grown on a farm? Why do sheep grow a fleece? and more. There is lots here to keep small hands busy and keep children’s attention and slightly older children will enjoy exploring the book independently.

Many children find baby animals appealing and in the companion book in this series, Baby Animals, they can meet a wide variety from puppies and kittens to bear cubs and squirrels, from sea otter pups and baby seahorses to penguin chicks and elephant calves. Children learn through both the photos and illustrations and through the text and interactive elements ensuring that all readers or listeners find something that holds their attention. I liked the sliding ‘before and after’ photos depicting baby animals and the corresponding adult parent. The animals included live in a variety of habitats and from all over the world. Baby Animals also offers an opportunity for young children to be learn what each animal needs to survive and thrive in its own environment. The illustrative style in both Baby Animals and Farm is light hearted and appealing while remaining true to the appearance of the animals themselves. It is clear that a great deal of thought has gone into the design of all these books to make them appealing to their audience.

I remain impressed by the quality of the books Priddy Books are producing for very young children and babies and am delighted to be able to add these to my grandson’s growing library. All the books mentioned here have been recently published and you can find out more about them and the other ranges available on the publisher’s website here. At the moment my grandson is an avid fan of another book in their range, Ten Little Dinosaur Eggs, which I reviewed here.

I should like to thank Eleanor Coombes of Priddy Books for providing my review copies.