Alphaprints Australian Animals : Mothers and babies by Roger Priddy

Pan Macmillan, 2020. ISBN: 9781783419418. Board book.
(Age: 1-5) Highly recommended. Little fingers are going to have a treat with the latest offering from Roger Priddy. The Australian mother and baby animals that are featured in this book are embossed in the style of fingerprints which will be fun to touch and feel. Set against a white background, the animals can be seen in their habitats. What makes the animals special (apart from the engaging embossing) is that some of them are shown made out of everyday objects. The reader will have fun with the echidna and her three little puggles, their bodies made from a clothes brush; a sugar glider is made from a little hat while her little joey's body is a ball of grey wool. The heads of yabbies are electric light bulbs and the quokkas ears are made from chocolates, while the bilbies ears are shells. There are also a few animals that readers will have fun trying to guess it there is an everyday object somewhere on their bodies.
The rhyming text in bold print is also a joy to read aloud and is sure to become a favourite with the very young. This is a sturdy, beautifully produced board book that will bring hours of fun and education to the very young.
Pat Pledger