A Kiss Like This: Mary Murphy

This, from the back cover, sets up the premise of this book, which uses a clever, split-page format:

Buzzy, bubbly, long, or small,

whose is the best kiss of all?

Can you guess?

A giraffe kiss is gentle and tall. . .

(Giraffe tot pictured on left; parent on right. Turn the split-page flap . . .)

like this!

(Giraffe tot and parent kiss.)

A mouse kiss is quick and small. . .

(Parent mouse on left; tot mouse on right. Turn the flap…)

like this!

(Mouse tot and parent kiss.)

I waited till now to mention that this is not a board book. But it does read like one and could easily be transformed into one in the future. The art is simple and fresh, with cute characters that aren’t syrupy-cute. The book ends with a spread filled with hearts of many sizes, including a giant sparkly one in the middle.

Charming!

A Kiss Like This

Author-illustrator: Mary Murphy

Ages 2-4

Candlewick Press, 2012