PLEASE AND THANK YOU

In this companion Pull and Play title to Time for Bed (2017), author Bedouet brings social skills and good manners to the fore in this board book with sturdy pull-tabs.

The text presents different situations in which good manners are important, and young children depicted by animals are gently reminded by their parents to say “hello,” “please,” “thank you,” “sorry,” and “good-bye” and to patiently wait their turns in line. Each colorful, retro-styled illustration with minimal background detail features a young animal interacting with a parent or with other young animals in a playground setting, and the interactive pull-tabs show the wonderful change that occurs when the right word/action is used. “What do you say, little bear?” prompts Mommy. “Thank you!” “You’re welcome, darling. Can I have a taste…please?” “ ‘Yes!’ Little bear also likes it when Mommy uses polite words.” The illustrations show Mommy offering little bear an ice cream cone—with a pull of the tab, readers see Mommy enjoying a lick of that cone offered by little bear. Each family is made up of the same type of animal (crocodile, kangaroo, monkey, and cat in addition to bear); though the little animals play together, it’s too bad that sense of diversity was not extended to family makeup.

Straightforward and didactic, this is the book to reach for (no grabbing, please!) when a child needs a reminder about manners.