PANCAKES WITH GRANDMA

Little Bunny and Grandma go on an ingredient-finding adventure to make a surprise breakfast.

With several flaps to lift and doors and windows to open, the book invites readers along on the hunt for cooking supplies for a mystery breakfast. Each two-page spread poses a specific question directed to readers, such as “Can you find some delicious berries?” The berries are revealed after looking behind an upside-down flowerpot, pulling back the leaves on a tree, and peeking inside a basket. Each scene includes some flaps that hide objects other than what the bunnies are looking for (as in a dozing mouse beneath that flowerpot). Toddlers and preschoolers will get such a thrill out of this “game.” They’ll also get to use their predictive pre-reading skills and use context clues when the culminating question—“Can you guess what the bunnies made?”—is finally answered. The bunnies are adorable, as is the attention to detail. A tiny cookbook on the kitchen table titled Breakfast for Bunnies, by Bunny Oliver (which actually opens!), cleverly reappears throughout the book. At the very end, it is shown large-scale with an actual recipe to try. Smith and Braun’s simultaneously publishing Picnic With Mommy is similar in format, although it’s missing the fun of the central mystery that propels this book along. With the fun of discovering what lies behind each flap, the joy of playing with Little Bunny, and a simple real-life recipe, this one is sure to be enjoyed.

A dash of mystery and a spoonful of seek-and-find make for a heap of fun.