Day and Night

* Reviews *

Each book uses photographs and simple phrases to demonstrate multiple examples of opposites. In Day, a Ferris wheel is shown during the day and then lit up at night; a house is pictured in sunlight while another is depicted with windows aglow in the evening. In Tall, a giraffe appears on each page, paired with smaller animals, such as an owl, a kitten, and a rabbit, with the words "tall" and "short" accompanying the photographs. Each book comes with a note to adults claiming that it helps "pre-readers get a jumpstart on reading." While that may be true , the uninspired images and lackluster design do nothing to attract children. In Over, identical rainbow images are used repeatedly. While a giraffe is an apt example of tall, it appears on every spread. A variety of examples might add some much-needed pizzazz to this book. Although the series aims at simplicity for clear and concise educational value, there is no excuse for uninviting, lifeless design., School Library Journal February 2012