PEEKABOO MORNING

A toddler greets the day with games of peekaboo in Isadora's (Nick Plays Baseball) ebullient offering. Rendered in thick, silky pastels, the opening spread introduces an African-American child snuggling in bed, looking straight out of the picture. In the background, the sun beams through the open window, softens the edges of the child's deep black hair and shines light on his or her face. "Peekaboo! I see..." reads the generously sized, toddler-friendly type. "My mommy" appears on the following page, where the child, on the mother's lap, exchanges adoring gazes with her. From this point, recto-page illustrations, set into wide blank borders, show the child initiating the game (e.g., the child, peering over the edge of a white surface, cries "Peekaboo! I see..."), and full-bleed pictures opposite complete the act (the child spies Daddy lying on his bed). Elsewhere, visual clues help children predict what happens next. Sitting in a high chair, for instance, the child sees a furry tail sticking out from behind an open door; a puppy appears on the next page. The lustrous organic palette and simple, repetitive text make a cozy combination. Ages 2-6. (May)