Amazon.com (ISBN 0590341294, Board book)

There's certainly not much imagination in the I Spy books, but every parent knows that they are ideal material for getting a 2- or 3-year-old through a restaurant meal or a trip. Probably too simple for children older than 3, the puzzles in this board book have the usual two parts. On the left-hand pages are rhymed couplets ("I spy a spoon and a golden key / I spy a butterfly just for me!") paired with illustrative pictures of the objects named. On the right-hand side is a more complex picture containing the objects on the left, and the task at hand is to pick them out. The objects are simple, the photos are clear, and primary colors predominate. As always, there's extra mileage to be had in discussing the other objects in the pictures--even in making up stories about them. (Baby to preschool) --Richard Farr