TOUCH-AND-FEEL FIRST WORDS

This workmanlike board book presents illustrations of familiar objects grouped together on one page as well as a variety of textures for baby to explore.

Each page finds 10 to 12 colorful images grouped together thematically (toys, food, wild animals, etc.). Each image is done in an appealing cartoon style and displayed on a black background, with word labels in white lowercase font to encourage language skills. A two-sentence rhyme on each page introduces the group: “Over the ground these vehicles zoom. / Some chug, some fly, and some go ‘vroom!’ ” On each right-hand page inside, the largest object incorporates a texture—a furry rabbit, a slippery slide, a rubbery elephant, bumpy tires, a plush bathrobe—for a total of five different textures. Most objects are not gender-specific, and text explicitly states that a doll is one of many toys for “girls and boys.” “Family” is depicted by anthropomorphic bears wearing clothes, while the clothes page includes a dress and skirt as well as shirt, shorts, and pants. The cover has a die-cut hole exposing the textured element inside. The other books in the series follow a similar format and feel. Touch-and-Feel Colors displays objects of a particular color on each page, including a separate page each for black and white. Touch-and-Feel 1 2 3 displays a tactile cutout of a number from one to five, counting up by double-page spread, with multiples of objects, each distinct and in a different pose (three fish, five flying tigers). Some of the objects depicted in all three books are not to scale, which may be confusing to children. The black background and small objects give a dark and busy feel to the book and may be most appropriate for toddlers.

There is plenty to do and feel in this busy book and its companions.