Jenny Pinkerton

This is the first in a new series of board books called "lil smARTies" which is supposed to "encourage children to learn all about creativity and self-expression while they play." It will naturally remind readers of Herve Tullet's Mix it up! but it's a nicely laid-out and simple introduction to art for very young children.
The text is written in rainbow-colored, brushed, plump letters. The first spread starts with a "Squirt!" of bright pink paint and an invitation to spread it across the show more page. Subsequent spreads encourage painting with fingers, mixing a variety of colors, and experimenting with brushes, sponges, and rollers.

The art is bright and attractive, with the colors shining against glossy white backgrounds. I can see the intent of the book, but I'm not quite sure on how well it would work. You'd need at least a preschooler to really grasp the instructions and concepts and I usually think of board books as aimed more at babies and toddlers. The size of the board book would make it difficult to use in a group setting, but with one-on-one use you're likely to end up with a book covered in paint. Still, the glossy surface should be easy to clean and a little extra paint will likely be unnoticed in the colorful splashes on the pages.

Hmm. I can definitely see experimenting with it. It would be fun to use it similarly to how I use Herve Tullet's books, with the kids "drawing" with their finger in the air as they listen to the story. I wonder if you could make it into a kind of art walk, like a storywalk? Or project it on a screen for a painting program. Maybe put together a take home kit and post a different page of art each day or something.

Verdict: It's bright and colorful and the possibilities are endless - sure to be a fun addition to your board book collection. There's a clay title available right now also.

ISBN: 9780593094433; Published September 2020 by Penguin Workshop; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library show less

So cute!