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Bear Has A Belly
Baby’s Here!
Go Grandma Go!
Go Grandpa Go!
Donna McCalman
Donna McCalman
Johnson City babies love board books! How do we know? The Johnson City Public Library circulated more than 1,600 board books in January alone.
If you are unfamiliar with the term “board” books, they are books for babies and toddlers that are printed on sturdy cardboard pages and designed to be held by tiny hands. They are engineered to withstand the drooliest drool, the tiniest teeth and the stickiest fingers.
The best board books contain minimal text, clear illustrations, lively language, and opportunities for interaction and movement. Animal sounds are a bonus.
Here are a few examples of JCPL’s newest board book titles:
“Bear Has a Belly” by Jane Whittingham
“Bear Has a Belly” by Jane Whittingham is an all-around winner. Illustrated with clear photos of adorable animals and children, the text is a series of comparisons between animal and human body parts. It is written with a bouncy rhythm and simple refrain: “Bear has a belly — a soft, round belly. Bear has a belly. I do, too!” The left page shows the bear, and the right page features a mother tickling her son’s belly. Reader and child will naturally join in the fun. The publisher even includes a page of extension activities for parents.
“Baby’s Here!” by Jessica Young
“Baby’s Here!” by Jessica Young features soft illustrations of a rainbow of babies. It is designed to be read and enacted with a baby or used to introduce a new baby to a very young child. “Give a cheer — baby’s here! Wave hello. Count each toe.” The reader is invited to rock, pat, tickle and generally celebrate babies in this beautiful and interactive book. The layout includes some vertical spreads that require rotating the book in unusual ways, adding to its already broad appeal.
“Go, Grandpa, Go!” and “Go, Grandma, Go!” by Lynn Plourde
Also new to JCPL’s shelves are “Go, Grandpa, Go!” and “Go, Grandma, Go!” a pair of board books by Lynn Plourde that feature particularly active grandparents with grandchildren in tow. These seniors sled, surf and hike their way across the brightly colored pages to the encouraging refrain of “Go, Grandpa, Go!”
The only rocking chair shows up at the end of the busy day, as an exhausted pair snuggles up with a bedtime story. With so many grandparents actively participating in the day-to-day care of their grandchildren, this pair of books finds a ready audience.
Board books are short and sweet introductions to the joys of reading and can easily be slotted into busy days. Stash a few in every room of the house, as well as each diaper bag, stroller and minivan. And drop by JCPL if you need a few (dozen? hundred?) fresh titles! We’ve got you covered.
Donna McCalman is youth services librarian at the Johnson City Public Library. She spends her library days connecting preschoolers with picture books. She enjoys working alongside kindred spirits who share her efforts to create an oasis of order in a chaotic world.
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