Big and Little

★ Toddler-PreS–Opposites come to life with flaps for young hands to engage with on every page. “Slim and Plump” feature a pufferfish unexpanded and then all puffed out. Illustrative details make the meanings clear; the well-designed flaps reinforce the concepts. VERDICT Perfect engineering meets engaging content—this is highly ­recommended. –School Library Journal, starred review


In this clever lift-the-flap concept book, young viewers can explore animal opposites in a variety of environs. A “slow” sloth is visible hanging from a vine. When the sloth-shaped flap is lowered, we see the opposite—a “fast” leopard running beneath the vine. Commonly known critters are depicted (“clean” cat and “dirty” pig) along with the less frequently seen (“rough” pangolin and “smooth” otter). Some flaps can also change the setting when adjusted—the “hot” sub-Saharan African hippo flap transforms into “cold” Arctic polar bear when opened left. Tordoff’s illustrations, which use textured swaths of muted colors, are simultaneously sophisticated and recognizable for those still acquiring language.–Horn Book