Creature Colors

February 24, 2014
Photographer Zuckerman expands his Creature line (which includes the 2009 picture book Creature ABC) with this board-book introduction to color. Crisp, close-up photos of animals are used to showcase 10 colors; the book opens by highlighting the shocking blue plumage of a parrot and ends with the white of a snowy eagle in flight. All the photographs are set against pure white backgrounds to allow each color to pop. The only downside: while the name of each color appears on each page, none of the animals is identified. Simultaneously available: Creature Numbers. Ages 2–4.

July 1, 2014
This simple title features two toddler favorites: colors and animals.Each spread features a photograph of a vibrantly colored animal-a blue macaw, pink flamingo, red snake, brown sea horse, black bear, green frog, yellow canary, gray elephant, orange bird and white owl-their bold colors standing out sharply against a plain white background. The only text is the name of each color, printed in a shade that closely matches the featured animal in a clear, lowercase type. Babies and toddlers will enjoy learning to identify colors with the help of these striking animal images. Less successful is another volume in this series called Creature Numbers. This title sets up a familiar pattern, with present participles emphasizing animal antics: "1 kangaroo jumping," "2 tigers playing," "3 chimpanzees running," and so on, until readers arrive at the jarring "6 sheared sheep." The next page takes readers back to the original pattern-sort of: Instead of seeing seven sharks, as might be expected, they'll see just one, with the text reading: "7 fins paddling." Particularly troubling here is the fact that the fins are a bit difficult to identify and count. These flaws notwithstanding, little ones are likely to be mesmerized by the animals, here again in sharp focus against stark white backgrounds.For little animal lovers everywhere. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)

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March 1, 2014

The animals from Creature ABC (Chronicle, 2009) are back in a series of board books that focus on simple concepts. Colors and Numbers feature Zuckerman's stunning photography set against a crisp white background. Elegant and visually enthralling.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

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