Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Thirty-five road signs explained to toddlers in an extra-thick board book.Those ubiquitous universal symbols that decorate our streets and highways can be a mystery to kids buckled into their car seats. Explanations written in simple, direct language aim to demystify them. On the inside front cover and its recto page, a four-sentence introduction explains that signs "are a code to let drivers know how to stay safe." Bright orange text with key words printed in white stands out against the black background. The signs are organized into five increasingly specialized categories: "Everyday," "Neighborhood," "Highway," "Caution," and "Nature." All but eight signs are wordless symbols. A full spread is devoted to each one, with the sign on the right and a brief description in a clean black type on a gray page to the left. To adult ears these definitions seem obvious and even redundant, but explanations like "Yield / Let other cars go first!" are admirably successful at translating abstract concepts into concrete terms. Pages cut in the shapes of the signs both add playful variety and ensure small fingers can turn the thick pages. Clean graphics keep the focus on the signs. The final spread offers thumbnail drawings of all the signs by category.Around the neighborhood or on a road trip, pre-reading passengers will be ready to understand the signs along the way. (Board book. 1-5)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Thirty-five road signs explained to toddlers in an extra-thick board book.Those ubiquitous universal symbols that decorate our streets and highways can be a mystery to kids buckled into their car seats. Explanations written in simple, direct language aim to demystify them. On the inside front cover and its recto page, a four-sentence introduction explains that signs "are a code to let drivers know how to stay safe." Bright orange text with key words printed in white stands out against the black background. The signs are organized into five increasingly specialized categories: "Everyday," "Neighborhood," "Highway," "Caution," and "Nature." All but eight signs are wordless symbols. A full spread is devoted to each one, with the sign on the right and a brief description in a clean black type on a gray page to the left. To adult ears these definitions seem obvious and even redundant, but explanations like "Yield / Let other cars go first!" are admirably successful at translating abstract concepts into concrete terms. Pages cut in the shapes of the signs both add playful variety and ensure small fingers can turn the thick pages. Clean graphics keep the focus on the signs. The final spread offers thumbnail drawings of all the signs by category.Around the neighborhood or on a road trip, pre-reading passengers will be ready to understand the signs along the way. (Board book. 1-5)

School Library Journal (Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

Toddler-PreS Backseat drivers will delight in this board book featuring 35 different road signs. Using tactile shapes, the title showcases unique and recognizable signs. Each sign has a short one-sentence explanation: "Firehouse/ Prepare to pull over if fire trucks come out of the firehouse." Children will catch on quickly and are likely to memorize the messaging and become sign decoders during long car rides and trips around town. A great purchase for most libraries.