Recommended Reading: Rainbows in Bloom: Discovering Colours with Flowers by Taylor and Michael Putnam (2021) 2+, Animals in the Sky by Sara Gillingham (2020) 2+, My Art Book of Friendship by Shana Gozansky (2021) 2+
Those on the lookout for visually innovative, thought-provoking children’s books will be impressed by the art-book publisher Phaidon. Being exceptionally well made, their books are notably robust. And being original in design and content. they make excellent gifts too.
Rainbows in Bloom: Discovering Colours with Flowers by Taylor and Michael Putnam (2021) 2+
‘There are so many shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. What happens when you put them all together?’
This book of stunningly collaged photographs was designed to advance a toddler or young child’s understanding and awareness of colour. The interrelatedness of each of the 7 rainbow colours is clearly illustrated. And the search-and-find prompts are perfectly adapted to help you and your child explore. They will love opening the fold-out gateway pages (4 at a time) to reveal beautiful arrangements of flowers, insects and fruit. These are organised in gradation, showing the rich variety of tones that exists in the natural world.
Animals in the Sky : by Sara Gillingham (2020) 2+
This cleverly produced book helps young children identify the six most recognisable animal constellations including The Great Bear and The Southern Fish! Readers guess each animal through a series of read-aloud clues, having looked at a cluster of stars. Then a gatefold reveals the animal, giving further facts about the constellation and its key stars. A wondrous bedtime prelude.
My Art Book of Friendship : by Shana Gozansky (2021) 2+
As recent events have shown, school is about so much more than the 3 Rs. This is the ideal book for a child starting school since it will help them understand how to get along well with others. Using artwork by prominent artists and a few carefully chosen words, it demonstrates what it means to be a good friend. It will also provide a useful context for parents, carers and teachers wanting to explore this topic with children.
Learn more about the art-book publisher Phaidon
Author
Laura Vida
Former Teacher
Nursery & School Guide Feature and Freelance Writer