Jocelyn and Slaughter (previously paired for Eats
) strikingly introduce the concept of classification. Slaughter's graphic cut-paper compositions command attention with their paint-box–bright colors. The first spread, for example, shows an apple, a blue-and-green planet Earth and a tambourine, against fields of yellow, black and red, respectively, for stop-sign-like impact. “Round things,” reads the caption. The next pages show the tambourine again, now with a guitar and a bird. This spread is captioned “things that make music.” Always carrying forward one of the three objects from the previous spread, Jocelyn delivers the vital lesson that everyday objects fall into many categories. The concept is clear and the delivery attractive; a book like this is an essential part of the very young child's library. Ages 2–5. (Jan.)
