cover image White Rabbit's Color Book

White Rabbit's Color Book

Alan Baker. Kingfisher, $9.95 (24pp) ISBN 978-1-85697-953-5

Each of these innovative concept books adds an extra dimension to the usual lessons about letters, colors, shapes and numbers. ABC , like so many other alphabet books, starts out with an apple, but then departs from the expected: the familiar fruit becomes the subject of Black and White Rabbit's painting in a wry and often very messy journey from A to Z. 1,2,3 combines a counting lesson with animal identification (and more art) as Gray Rabbit molds piles of colored clay into a variety of figures. In Shape , Brown Rabbit investigates the contents of a brightly wrapped package. White Rabbit, in Color , shows off the mixable properties of the primary colors when she immerses herself in three big tubs of paint. Sweet-natured humor infuses the clear, precise artwork, and Baker's talented bunnies are as winsome as can be. Ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. (Mar.)