cover image Baby's Book of the Body

Baby's Book of the Body

DK Publishing, Roger Priddy. DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley), $9.95 (24pp) ISBN 978-0-7894-0198-4

Photographed with a pop-out crispness and following the format of Baby's Book of Animals and Baby's Book of Nature, this introduction to the parts of the body and their uses features a crowd of chubby, cherub-like babies and toddlers acting, posing and emoting as if on cue. Vocabulary building is the aim, with key words in each caption emphasized (""I eat with my mouth""). Sections initiate new activities: ""Seeing Faces"" leads to ""Making Faces""; ""How Many?"" (""1 chubby bottom""; ""5 wiggly toes"") builds to ""Let's Count"" (""How many feet do you see?""). A spread devoted to things to see (""sheep resting under a green tree""; ""high mountains covered in snow"") departs from the concept stated in the title, though the impressive photography makes the diversion worthwhile. Ages 2-5. (May)