I don’t see a ton of new board books that aren’t already stories from picture books, licensed characters, or new retreads of familiar Bright Baby-style early vocab books (which are great, but not new), so I love it when a new set comes along. Board books for everyone!
Nascar Series:
ABC (ISBN: 978 1 770 49429 9)
123 (ISBN: 978 1 770 49428 2)
Shapes (ISBN: 978 1 770 49431 2)
Colors (ISBN: 978 1 770 49430 5)
Fenn/Tundra
Simple concepts are illustrated with objects from the world of auto racing in this new series from Nascar. I’m not always a fan of branded materials for children, but I’m going to say that if you’ve got one of those car-loving tots who can’t get enough of things that go? This is a fun introduction, and the bright colours and automotive theme will definitely get their attention.
And with gift-giving season ahead? Here’s an idea: the set of four makes a great gift for a kid you know, especially if you throw in a little toy car with it.
Checkers and Dot
(ISBN: 978 1 770 49441 1)
Checkers and Dot At The Zoo
(ISBN: 978 1 770 49442 8)
by J. Torres and J. Lum
Tundra Books
These very simple board books are intended for the youngest readers, and are boldly patterned in black-and-white for babies, who see this sort of high contrast best for some time. Unlike some books that play to this, however, this series may remain good reading for a little longer, as the author has created a little story and two characters who are introduced in the first book, and then go to different familiar settings in subsequent books (next spring, they will head to the farm for another adventure).
The books are told in simple, bouncy rhyme, also good for little ears, and have the potential to be somewhat less snooze-inducing than most baby boards for the parent who has been up all night rocking their wee babe. Hurray for that!