Playdate

Toddler-PreS–A cheery, colorful story about a playdate for a tutu-wearing Dachshund and four preschoolers. The day begins with drop-off and then a walk to the playground. Then it’s back inside for drawing, playing instruments, stories, and imagination games. The day ends with a hug and a wave goodbye. Pictures carry the story. Each page features just two words, rhyming with the subsequent word pair. Sometimes words are paired as opposites—high/low, happy/sad—while other pairs identify objects in the pictures—table/chairs, red/blue. Preschoolers will need more explanation than the scant text provides; the pictures will need to be studied and discussed for sufficient comprehension. For example, a lesson in sharing occurs as one girl offers another watermelon. On the same page, however, the dog steals a cookie. The accompanying text simply reads, “Good.” and “Bad.” Colorful, whimsical digital artwork uses soft-edged lines and translucent colors to convey a cozy, pleasant atmosphere. Minimal backgrounds focus attention on the subjects, causing the characters to pop out from the white page. Kids will easily see themselves in these characters’ emotions and activities.