MIKI GETS DRESSED

With help from pull-tabs (but not visible grown-ups), Miki the lion dons trousers, a sweater, and other clothes before going out to play.

The relatively fragile tabs won’t survive more than a few hard yanks, but the motions they create—pulling green pants up, blue sweater down, orange (pre-tied, or perhaps equipped with elastic rather than laces) shoes on, and finally a red raincoat over all—are realistic if abbreviated. (Just let the fact that he starts out with socks and blue boxers already on slide.) It’s all a setup for an exuberant pop-up surprise at the end as Miki heads outdoors to take a wild leap into a rain puddle as a snail benevolently looks on. Budding fashionistas may find more-stylish dressing guides such as Margaret Chodos-Irvine’s Ella Sarah Gets Dressed (2003) or Denise Fleming’s Maggie and Michael Get Dressed (2016) more to their taste, but younger cubs just getting into the swing of doing-it-myself may appreciate these elementally simple hints as well as the unseen voice that keeps Miki on task: “Oh, it’s raining, Miki! We’re going to get soaked!” Miki obligingly replies, “All right, I’ll put on my red raincoat.”

It’s not the sturdiest, but this French import is good for a practice run or two before trying the real thing.