I Hear a Pickle: And Smell, See, Touch, and Taste It, Too!

As in her earlier books, simplicity is the defining note of Isadora’s (Bea at Ballet) inviting introduction to the senses. In five color-coded sections, one for each sense, multicultural kids take turns describing things they hear, smell, see, touch, or taste. Drawing from everyday experiences in a child’s life, Isadora pays tribute to the senses, as well as to the natural world, friends, family, food, pets, curiosity, and discovery. “I hear the drums. Too loud!” a boy with a buzz cut tells readers, fingers firmly planted in his ears. “I smell bread. I’m hungry!” says a girl as she climbs onto a stool to get a closer look at the round loaf cooling on the counter. Things the children “don’t” experience are just as important, adding cautionary notes (one boy doesn’t touch the stove), revealing personal preferences (“I don’t want to taste the spinach”), or showing how the world works (“The lamp is off. I don’t see!”). Isadora’s book brims with teachable moments, yet it’s her expressive ink and watercolor vignettes that steal the spotlight. Ages 2–5. (Jan.)