Begin Smart™ Peek-a-Boo What?

This interactive entry in the Begin Smart series of board books invites infants and caregivers to play peek-a-boo. Employing die-cut holes to replace the o’s in boo, the book encourages listeners to lift the cardboard flap to reveal what’s behind. The use of rhyming text (“peek-a-boo two / peek-a-boo blue / peek-a-boo shoe / peek-a-boo moo / peek-a-boo zoo / peek-a-boo who?”) ensures predictability for children, especially with multiple readings. Simple collage constructions of familiar objects are set off against brightly colored, mostly plain backgrounds. The last spread features a photo of father and son; instructions to parents suggest replacing this with a personal photo. The endpapers include a gallery of all the objects portrayed in the book. The sturdy construction should hold up for repeated viewings, and the easy-to-grip holes promise successful page turns for young fingers. This is an attractive addition to toddler programs or one-on-one sharing. Preschool. --Kay Weisman