build!: Xavier Deneux

Readertotz touch and learn as they read this board book of puzzles titled build! While a man and woman build a house together, each left side of the spread offers one or more removable puzzle pieces to be placed on the right side. Bricks, a roof, a door and more must be delivered correctly. Xavier Deneux's sparse, hard-edged shapes are a compliment to the concept of the book. 

"We'll need a solid foundation.

A bulldozer will make our work so much easier!"

build! is A Handprint Book to read and play with. Watch your totz build a house with two adorable characters. 

build!

by Xavier Deneux

touch think learn

A Handprint Book

Fly! Xavier Deneux

Touch, Think, Learn books are, "Fun for fingers, eyes, and minds," says Publishers Weekly in a starred review. Fly! by Xavier Deneux is a beautiful mix of story, puzzle, and play pieces for first readers.

Bird comes to a tree, concluding her journey. She watches the tree eventually produce apples, and  her mate arrives. After they build a nest, two chicks are born and fly to find their own tree. The graphic, printed quality of the airy illustrations invites the reader to expand the storytelling as they refit shapes into new imagery.

Such a lovely, thoughtful book for your readertotz.

Fly!
by Xavier Deneux
Handprint Books, 2017

Jojo's First Word Book

I'm so excited about the release of Twirl! These are hefty, innovative board books. Think of them as the Cadillacs of the genre. First up for our totz is Jojo's First Word Book by Xavier Deneux. Introducing Jojo and Lulu, brother and sister rabbits who showcase words about themselves, the home, the outside, and animals.

With a handle to carry the book and thick tabs to divide the sections, you'll be amazed at the breadth of this work. Flat shapes, bright colors, and a cheerful script with small embedded stories will keep your totz' attention. The cover is raised with cutouts as are each silhouetted division.

Find Jojo and grow familiar with Twirl. You're going to love them!

Jojo's First Word Book
by Xavier Deneux
Twirl, 2014

Colors and Opposites: Xavier Deneux

It's so lovely to see concept books presented in a fresh way. Xavier Deneux has achieved that with Colors and Opposites, touch/think/learn. With carefully designed cutouts he shows color. A raised brown bear walks from the right hand of the spread, leaving his cutout behind, now filled with brown leaves. A white raised cat stands opposite her cutout of a black cat.

Opposites is wider in representation. A raised cat atop a ladder illustrates High, while in the opposite cutout a mole shows Low. A Heavy raised elephant is opposite of a cutout Light cloud.

The tag on the series which includes Numbers and Shapes as well is: To touch is to experience. To experience is to learn. There is a choking hazard for children under 3 due to the small pieces. Otherwise, the work is a visual delight.

Colors
Opposites
by Xavier Deneux
Handprint Book, Chronicle, 2013