Don't Look Inside

Rosie Greening and illustrator Stuart Lynch have built a board book that does exactly what a good toddler book should: it gives little hands something to do and little voices something to shout about. The die-cut holes, lift flaps, and tactile furry monster patches invite repeated touching and peeking, and the silly rhymes are fun to read aloud without wearing out after the third sitting. The monsters are cartoon-cute and clearly friendly — nothing here will frighten a child who has seen a Muppet. Honest limitations: beyond the novelty format, the content is very thin, and the exact publication information for this 2022 edition is uncertain. For the target age of one to four, though, thin content is fine — engagement and sensory play are the point, and this delivers both. Worth it.