LET'S GO OUTSIDE

A Bernese mountain dog pup graces the cover of this deceptively simple board book.

Throughout, the focus is on the dog’s behavior while the child on the other end of the leash plays a supporting role. The pale-skinned child’s indeterminate gender allows children of all gender expressions to put themselves in the story. A subtle lesson about opposites is hidden in plain sight in the simple text. Adjectives that are also opposites are highlighted in bold on each page. “Darkness turns to light. / A smooth nose sniffs rough sidewalk.” Felix’s illustrations help define the abstract concepts. For example, the verso of the opening spread is shadowed and dark, while the recto uses a lighter palette, dramatizing the first statement. Riggs assumes that young children will understand expressive verbs such as “thwack” and “print” (as in pawprint) from context and visual clues. The dog’s large, expressive eyes are the constant, setting readers up for the final line: “Back inside, happy eyes say, ‘Let’s go outside again!’ ”

Who can resist this dog’s big begging eyes and the leash in its mouth? Both toddlers and preschoolers will happily take this pup for a walk, again and again.