'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Review: My Circus

Title: My Circus

Author: Xavier Deneux

Illustrator: Xavier Deneux

Publisher: Bloomsbury, A$14.99RRP

Format: Boardbook

ISBN: 9781408807002

For ages: 0-2

Type: Picture Book

About: It is, of course, a well-known fact that babies’ brains receive vital developmental stimulation from high-contrast visuals. I remember designing and printing off black and white patterns to show my wide-eyed 2-month-old daughter all those years ago (who spent ages grinning her head off at two circle eyes and a semi circular mouth), but parents of 2010 have no need to resort to such shenanigans.

My Circus, provides all the contrast baby could ever need – all bound up in a beautifully textured, high contrast book, with pops of brightest colour slamming against glossy black and white pages.

High-modern, super-cute clowns, acrobats, magicians and circus animals strut their stuff across the pages, one minute in positive white, next minute shown in the negative, but all the while, eye-boggling.

Page cutouts give texture and little holes for tiny fingers to explore, and a thick, padded foam cover will provide some semblance of resistance to the gnawing and slobbering sure to be imminently suffered by this attractive and aesthetically edible book.

You’d better thank your lucky stars there’s a grand total of 18 words in this entire baby tome, because ‘again! again!’ will become a constant, groundhog day refrain. Also great for toddlers learning to read, this fabulously fun book will become a wake-time, lunch-time, nap-time, play-time, bed-time staple.

Perfect gift for a newborn.

Author website

This book can be bought online