Review: Who's Making That Noise?

Who's Making That Noise?

Written by Philip Hawthorn and Jenny Tyler

Illustrated by Stephen Cartwright

Publication date: 1994
Publisher: Usborne Publishing
ISBN: 0-7460-0850-3


Summary/Back cover:
Who is making that noise? Is it really those noisy boys?  You can find out by lifting the flaps in this charmingly illustrated book.

Simple rhyming text makes this book a pleasure to read aloud, and young children will enjoy joining in with the boys as they proclaim their innocence.

Children will also enjoy finding the little white mouse and Stephen Cartwright's yellow duck on every double page.


Review:
Lift-the-flap books are always a hit, but this one is a particular favourite with both my 2.5 year old and my 8 month old.  Different animals are hiding on each page, and each animal is making a different sound (banging with a pot lid, tooting on a trumpet, etc).  A very noisy book to read, but a lot of fun!  Keep the cellotape handy though, as I find that, with noise, comes boisterousness and accidentally ripped flaps!

My rating: 4 out of 5.


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Baby Loves Peekaboo!

Baby Loves Peekaboo!

Written by Dawn Sirett

Photography by Dave King

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
ISBN: 978-1-40532-915-6

Summary/Back cover:
Where is baby hiding? Peekaboo!

• Lift the big flaps with baby
• Help baby develop thinking and memory skills
• Enjoy hours of peekaboo fun!

Review:

This book has been one of the biggest hits with both my children - my 16 month old will bring this book to me multiple times a day at the moment, and adores me calling out "Peekaboo!" as he lifts the big cardboard flaps on each page.  Along with the flaps, there's things to feel on each page too - fluffy or fuzzy pieces.

This is a wee bit different than other lift-the-flap books, as the flaps are much sturdier and better suited to the roughness of young children - making it perfectly suited to my two rough-and-ready boys.  

I definitely recommend getting one or two of these books (we also have Bedtime Peekaboo, which is equally as popular) - if your children are a bit old for them now, grab them as a lovely gift for a new baby - they'll get plenty of wear.  Our books are looking rather tatty with so much use now, but it's still holding together!

My rating: 4.3 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Who's There, Spot?

Who’s There, Spot?

Written and Illustrated by Eric Hill

Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-141-33479-0

This is another super lift-the-flap book featuring the loveable puppy, Spot. It begins with Spot answering the front door, in the morning, and follows Spot throughout the day as he goes to school and plays around the house. Along the way he uncovers surprises behind bushes, a pile of washing, doors and other coverings.

This is a lovely addition to the Spot book collection (like most children, my kids are HUGE fans of the lift-the-flap stories). My only concern is that one of the characters is a strange-looking creature and when my kids ask what it is I don’t know how to answer! It might be a type of dog, but I can’t be sure…

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Eyes, Nose, Toes Peekaboo!

Eyes, Nose, Toes Peekaboo!

Written by Dawn Sirett

Photography by Dave King

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Limited (DK)
ISBN: 978-1-40533-148-7

Summary/Back cover:
Point to your eyes, nose, and toes and play peekaboo!
Lift the big flaps with baby.
Help baby develop thinking and memory skills.
Enjoy hours of peekaboo fun!

Review:
This book is aimed at children under 2 years of age. It has simple but beautiful photographs and simple text. Babies love lifting the flap and touching the touchy-feely patch under each one. This book, as the title suggests, focuses on body parts like eyes, ears, nose and toes of both children and soft toys. Both my kids loved this book and the others in the series. The books are board books with very sturdy flaps.
Some other titles in the same series are:
Farm Peekaboo
Bedtime Peekaboo
Bathtime Peekaboo
Dress up peekaboo

5/5

Review written by Judith

Review: Sizzles is Completely Not Here

Sizzles is Completely Not Here

A Charlie and Lola book

Written by Lauren Child

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Puffin
ISBN: 978-0-1413-8337-8


Summary/Back cover:
Charlie has this little sister Lola. Lola is supposed to be looking after Marv's dog. Sizzles. But he seems to have disappeared...Lola says, "Sizzles is completely not here." Join Charlie and Lola on their search for Sizzles the dog. Lift the flaps and see if you can spot where Sizzles is hiding. 


Review:
I love this book. And so does my 3 year old. A large board book with heaps of flaps. Open the door, open the book, open the window, open the fridge. Each page is a different part of Charlie and Lola's house, and we travel round with them as they look for Sizzles. 
I give this book a 4/5


Review written by WellyMel

Review: Bums

Bums

Written by David Bedford

Illustrated by Leonie Worthington

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Little Hare Books
ISBN: 978-1-9212-7234-9


Summary/Back cover:
Bums uses flaps to hilarious effect—Leopard has a spotty bum! Monkey has a bright red bum!


Review:
A fold out the flap book about the different types of bums that animals have, a definite favourite in this house!


Review written by Laugan

Review: Spot Bakes a Cake

Spot Bakes a Cake

by Eric Hill

Publication Date: 1994

Publisher: Penguin Group

ISBN: 0-7232-5767-1

Summary/back cover:

Spot plans a surprise for his dad’s birthday. Lift the flaps in this lively picture book to see how he succeeds in creating a very special cake.

Another Spot the dog book. This book does have a story – Spot’s dad is about to have a birthday so Spot, with the help of his mum, goes about purchasing the ingredients, then mixing and baking the cake, and waiting for it to cook. There’s a mouse helping Spot, which I found to be a little unsanitary… but given that this occurs in a world where dogs can push trolleys at the supermarket and bake cakes I guess it stands to reason that there’s no harm in a mouse licking the spatula! I love reading this one to my 23 month-old boys whenever there is a birthday celebration coming up and then “we” bake a cake, make a birthday card and blow up balloons just like in Spot’s story.

My rating:  4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Spot Can Count

Spot Can Count

by Eric Hill

Publication Date: 1999

Publisher: Puffin

ISBN: 978-0-140-56701-4

Spot the dog is a classic, and this lift-the-flap book follows him around the farm counting animals. There isn’t really a story per se, it begins with Spot telling his dad that he can count to ten and then the rest of the book follows the formula: “How many … are in the …?” and you lift the flap to find the answer. This book is a great introduction to numbers, counting and farm animals. Kids always love the interactive experience of lifting the flaps. Beware with younger children, though. It pays to have a glue-stick and some cellotape handy for the inevitable flap repairs you’ll be making!

My rating:  3.8 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Time for Bed, Little Kiwi

Time for Bed, Little Kiwi

Written and Illustrated by Bob Darroch

Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 978-0-14350-430-6  


Summary/Back cover:
It's time for Little Kiwi to go to bed but where is he? Join his mum on a search through the New Zealand bush as she tries to track him down. A new adventure in our popular Little Kiwi series of storybooks.


Review
A great little Kiwiana book. It's time for Little Kiwi to go to bed but he is nowhere to bee seen. Follow his mum as she searches for him through the NZ bush. Discover great Kiwi characters such as Weta, Morepork & Kakapo.


Review written by Anna

Review: Treasure in the Deep

Treasure in the Deep

Written by Sue Harris

Illustrated by Stephanie Boey

Publication Date: 2004
Publisher: The Templar Company
ISBN: 1-84011-143-7

Summary/Back cover:
When Little Fish hears an intriguing story of hidden treasure, he sets off in search of the glittering haul. Lift the flaps to discover lots of sparkling surprises and meet the new friends Little Fish makes as he discovers that treasure come in many different forms...

This book is just gorgeous - it tells the tale of a little fish searching for hidden treasure in a coral reef, who discovers that the many different coloured animals that live in the reef are the treasures themself.  This page has lift the flaps, which appeal greatly to my 2 year old at the moment - but I do have to be very careful that he doesn't rip the flaps right off!  The books is made from sturdy paper, but not sturdy enough to stop a rambunctious toddler, if he had his way.

This book is another rhyming one (I do enjoy children's books that rhyme), which makes it a pleasure to read over and over, but there are a couple of phrases to keep adult readers on their toes - "bright sea anemones" is the one that trips me up the most!

I do recommend this book as one for children to read with their parents - perhaps not the young toddlers, but once they're old enough to understand that lift the flaps does not mean ripping them out.  My 2 year old has a lot of fun pointing out the shiny colours on each page, and naming the sea animals (although the seahorse is sometimes called a seesaw and sometimes an exersaucer at the moment!).

My rating: 4 out of 5.  Definitely worth a read.

Review written by Bronwyn