We Want Names, Too!

PreS-K–Leroy names the fingers—middle finger, thumb, etc.—and then proposes the idea of naming each of the neglected five toes. The talkative toes of a peach-colored foot voice their opinions on a suitable naming scheme. Alphabetically? Numerically? By color? By music note? By fruit? How will the toes come to agree? The board book format, matched with bold, straightforward illustrations and simple text, strives to engage early preschool readers, but the concept that toes should also have names is likely to be lost on this audience. Many children in the age range for board books do not yet know that fingers have names beyond, perhaps, the thumb and pinky. The text touches on concepts such as the alphabet, numbers, and colors; however, the occasional luse of small cursive typeface is not developmentally accessible for the targeted audience. The ending attempts to provide a humorous conclusion, but misses the mark.