DO TOUCH! DON'T TOUCH!

There's a lot for this toddler to explore, and some of it is dangerous.

A boy explains about some of the items that are off-limits within his home, telling readers what they can and cannot touch. The child even directs his cat to make appropriate choices. When the cat rifles through the garbage can, the little boy admonishes the feline with a stern command (“The garbage is icky! / Don't touch, kitty!”). Unfortunately, he sometimes uses cutesy language; the electrical outlet is “too sparky.” There are a few things that are safe to touch—yarn, kitty—but there's no instruction about the proper way to approach an animal. One alarming spread presents multiple items with shrieking admonitions; the cat's fur bristles in alarm as it regards such varied items as a fan and a pair of scissors. The final scene depicts the youngster reviewing this book's companion title (Uh-Oh! Oh No!), surrounded by his toys. “Do touch. / Have fun!” Quiet pastels, saturated in lemony yellow, keep spreads in a nursery-inspired palette. Uh-Oh! Oh No! stars the same barefoot toddler in an extreme rapid-fire chain of events sparked by a sippy cup dropped from his high chair.

Only somewhat successful in its cautionary aim.