Busy Bus

The whole point of Busy Bus is the cardboard bus attached by ribbon — toddlers slot it into each spread as it picks up costumed children on the way to a carnival, making the reading experience a hands-on activity rather than a passive one. Matt Durber keeps the story simple enough for very young children while the costume variety and counting opportunities give caregivers something to talk about on each page. It works best as a play object that happens to tell a story. The practical concern is obvious: the detachable bus piece is the book's entire appeal and also its most vulnerable component. If that piece gets lost or damaged, the book loses most of its value. A fun novelty, but thin on narrative.