Small, Medium, Large: A Book About Relative Sizes

In their sixth collaboration, Jenkins and Bogacki (Daffodil, Crocodile) offer a loose introduction to comparative sizes—with a little vocabulary lesson thrown in. Helping them is a collection of indeterminate critters—some mouselike, others doglike, all endearingly eager-eyed and roundly geometric—of varying heights, from “itty-bitty” (“So small, you might not even notice it”) to “colossal” (revealed in a double gatefold finale). The characters are welcoming to each other and ready for anything, happily grouping and regrouping so readers can see how they relate to one another: “This one is small. This one is medium. This one is large.” And when the critters stand on top of one another, which they do with aplomb, it becomes clear how many small parts can equal a single larger one (“These two small ones on top of each other are the same as... a large!”). The bright colors, whimsical yet totemic characters, and brightly declarative prose make for an invitingly offbeat experience: think Teletubbies by way of the Futurists. Ages 4–7. (Oct.)