Ten Fingers

Review also includes:

Diamonds and Squares, 978-1856024280

Sunny or Cloudy, 978-1856024273

Blue Sky Blue, 978-1856024266

A set of cheerful lift-the-flap concept books, covering the usual topics – numbers, shapes, opposites and colours – painted in bright, jolly gouache. It’s hard to be original with concept books – and indeed one might ask whether there is any need to as each new generation of toddlers comes to them fresh – but here flaps lift to reveal the relevant word or numeral, set in texts of variable style and quality. Some of the flaps give a slightly surreal air to the pictures, which are also short of talking points – and I don’t think that ‘Five birds… plus one big nest’ makes six – but there is some value in the series as a whole.