BABY ANIMALS

Over 40 baby animals (plus a few trees) attach magnetically to desert, rain forest, savanna, or arctic scenes.

To help match the baby animals to their characteristic habitats, adult versions of each painted, die-cut creature pose in the simply rendered illustrations. However, natural history is not this import’s strong suit. There is a visual key at the end, but along with a few brief nature notes (“In the desert, many animals can survive on very little water”), only one or two creatures are identified on each spread. Moreover, neither the two tropical butterflies nor any of the flora, including three cutout trees, get a label or mention; two “baby” tropical frogs are just small adults; and the “Desert” includes saguaros and coconut palms in the same scene. The warning on the rear cover should be taken seriously, as many of the small, irregular pieces are definite choking hazards. They’ll also be easy to lose, though they are magnetized enough to stay in place through moderate shocks or when the volume is closed, and they can be stored in an attached pouch when they’re loose. Parents or teachers who prefer to stay away from licensed commercial characters may be drawn to this, and the pieces can also be used independently on any magnetic surface.

Not a substitute for but a possible successor to the plethora of more conventional—but safer—board-book and pop-up galleries.