A cute and simple book that could be used from birth. H is 18 months and loves to use the paint dabbers on paper which he calls "DOTS!" He will point out dots on lots of things so this is a nice book to show him there are other things like stripes and checks too. ( )

Wile my own children are too old for this book at five and eight, I gave it to my boss's 16 month old granddaughter, who absolutely loves it. The black and white contact really holds her attention and the durability is really good as well.

The simple black and white images and patterns in this book are definitely the winner--it was a great hit visually with both the three year old and the 6 week old! However, the written portion of this book leaves a lot to be desired; it hovers somewhere between rhyme and not-rhyme and is, to put it succinctly, pretty boring. There are lots of board books out there that manage to magically combine a few simple words and phrases into something beautiful, silly, memorable...but this book does not do that for me. Fun to look at, though! ( )

I'm really not that impressed with checkers and dot, maybe because it's a book for babies; I'm not a huge fan of those either. By those standards (books that are good for babies), it does all of the right things. The black and white images (where is the color?) create the high contrast that infants need in order to grasp shapes and it is a cute way to introduce shapes and patterns. There is not really a plot, just an introduction of characters, their shapes/patterns. A cute book for breaking your infant into reading. Again, for the littlest of readers, it is a solid addition to a collection. ( )

The digitally rendered black & white illustrations in this board book are bold and high-contrast, and therefore perfect for the developing eyes of babies and toddlers. I enjoyed this book with my 5-month-old granddaughter, and although I remain somewhat skeptical about its value in teaching the concepts of stripes, checkers, dots and spots, the illustrations certainly captured her attention. There is some text, but it adds little to the overall impact of the book. The book is strong and well-bound, and appears that it would withstand the chewing and throwing that comes with preschool territory. Checkers and Dots is the first in a series of black and white board books featuring the same slate of characters, and would make a good addition to a baby's first collection. ( )