ROBAARD, Jedda The Little Fox who lost his Tail ISBN 9781743467701; The Little Mouse who lost her Squeak ISBN 9781743467695 Five Mile Press, 2014 unpaged $12.95
Fun, simple and cute, these two picture books are entertaining and interactive. Their lift-the-flap format and square nine and a half centimetre size make them accessible to very young children. Presented with thick, cardboard pages they are tactile and will withstand rough handling. One to four year olds will enjoy helping Little Fox find his tail and Little Mouse find her squeak. The concept is clever and funny as Little Fox mistakes the broom and the bushy trees for his tail and then tries to make one out of a feather duster. Meanwhile Little Mouse mistakes the creaking door, the stairs and the gate for her lost squeak only to discover, along with the reader, that her squeak was with her all along.
The text and illustrations on a white background make an attractive contrast. The colourful embossing on the front covers is eye-catching and certain uniform elements such as font and style of artwork are aesthetically pleasing. An engaging activity involves spotting where the tiny friend of the main characters appears on each page, sometimes hiding in the scenery. These are appealing pre-reading books for the very young who can participate by lifting the flaps to reveal each surprise and, at the same time, discover the joy of books.
reviewed by Grace Nolan
