PEEK-A-BOO FARM

A “guess who” game for very young children introduces seven animals they might meet on a farm.

Peekaboo is a perennially favorite game. It teaches object permanence and basic trust that the world is a safe, predictable place. Peekaboo books abound, perhaps because at just the right developmental stage, the simple game always reassures and empowers. Babies and toddlers will not tire of the game, even when they know the answers. In this slight version of the game, a rhyming verse gives clues to the identity of the animal hiding its eyes on the opposite page. A large flap opens to answer “Guess who?” with “Peek-a-boo!” and the animal's face and name. Wan has made the pig, sheep, cow, rabbit, cat, and dog almost exactly the same size, with the colors and shapes of their ears doing most of the work to differentiate between the species. Exactly how a cow or pig covers its eyes with its hooves may mystify adults, but it won't bother children. The flaps are sturdy but may not hold up to the repeated handling the book is bound to encourage.

In all, a charming introduction to the familiar animals of the farm for youngsters.