Hi, Blueberry!
by Barney Saltzberg
Published by Red Wagon Books of Harcourt, Inc.
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Reviewed by Maria Hoeffer
In this fun and fuzzy book, Blueberry runs into all of his friends who suddenly have to take off somewhere. Where is everyone going? The surprise ending is a delight for very young children!
The vocabulary of the book is perfect for a young person approaching their first birthday. The repeated pattern of saying "hi" and "bye" to each of the animal friends helps develop early language skills. The pictures are simple and bright enough to keep a young child's attention. They are also able to participate by feeling Blueberry's fuzzy overalls on each page and lifting the flaps. The light at the end of the book seems gratuitous and unnecessary however, and the pages and flaps are a bit flimsy to last very long in a 12-month-old's hands. It would also be nice to have some different textures to feel on the other animals, rather than just the fleece on Blueberry Rabbit.
Overall, this is a very cute book and would make a nice present for someone turning one year old. However, this is definitely a board book that requires more supervision than most.
Armchair Interviews says: Fuzzy and fun book for children.
Author's Web site: http://www.barneysaltzberg.com