Author: Sherry Gerstein

Publisher: Andy Bennett

ISBN: 157791259-4

            A, B, C, D, please come read a book with me…

            As a parent or teacher, everything you need to know about this book is in the title. Sherry Gerstein’s Hide and Peek is really a guessing game. Your child will work his way through the alphabet, with the help of rhyming clues. It’s the perfect book for a preschooler just learning his ABC’s. Even older preschoolers who already know the ABC’s will enjoy the fun of guessing each letter and then proving themselves right.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Sherry Gerstein’s Hide and Peek is a flap book—a favorite of most preschoolers. Each rhyme matches a corresponding letter of the alphabet hiding under a flap. Young children will love flipping up the flaps; they also love the surprises underneath.

Fortunately, once children know the secrets hiding behind the flaps, they won’t tire of the book. In fact, they love reading the book over and over to reassure themselves that everything’s exactly the way it’s supposed to be.

           Andy Bennett’s illustrations are bright and busy—not in an intrusive way, but in a fun way. Of course, each picture is an additional clue to solving each rhyme. I especially enjoyed the big eyes that run, like a theme, through the book’s pictures. With few details, we immediately love Bennett’s simple but adorable animals—it those eyes!

            At the end of the book, parents will find a whole page of helpful learning hints and activities. They’re simple but effective. This book would be a good addition to a day care or children’s library.

 The above review was contributed by:   Susan Sales Harkins:  Software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews