The Big Book for Toddlers

Full-bleed vintage illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith, Maxfield Parrish, Margaret Evans Price and others grace the pages of this cheerful 9”×9” hardcover book, divided into five sections: arts and crafts activities, condensed fairy tales, songs, games and nursery rhymes. The projects are simple and have buoyant instructions (steps to make “Animal Masks” suggest, “Add some hairs if you are a mammal, scales if you are feeling reptilian, or feathers to fluff in the birdbath”); songs such as “Old MacDonald” and “Ants Go Marching” include musical notation; and familiar stories and rhymes appear as well. The lively assemblage will appeal to toddlers, and the heirloom images should captivate them as well as nostalgic adults. Up to age 3. (Sept.)