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Rhyming text invites young listeners into a game of peek-a-boo with a British baby boy in 1940s England.
*Peek-A-Boo by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Janet Ahlberg. Viking Books for Young Readers, 1997. 32 pages.
- Reading Level: Picture books, ages 0-4
- Recommended For: Ages 0-4
“Here’s a little baby
One, two, three,
Stands in his crib,
What does he see?
Peek-A-Boo!
A cutout to the next page shows his father sleeping. Turning the page, the text narrates the now full-page illustration. And so the rhyming continues through the baby’s day: from breakfast, to time outside, a trip to the park with his grandma and big sisters, and finally, back to bed.
Peek-a-Boo by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, a gifted husband and wife team, is a classic board book. It invites reading again, and again, and the text lends itself well to memorization. The illustrations show a loving family and a normal day. Only the father’s green fatigues, airplanes in the distance at the park, and an anti-aircraft blimp on the skyline indicate this story is set during wartime England. Allan Ahlberg based Peek-a-Boo, or “Peepo” as it is titled in the UK, on his own childhood. Born to a single mother, he was adopted by working class parents and would recall, “I am the Peepo baby!” (Ahlberg, Guardian, 2006)
*indicates a Redeemed Reader starred review, an outstanding example in its field.
Considerations: none
Bottom Line: Happy illustrations, cheerful rhymes, and engaging cut-outs inviting readers into a game of Peek-a-Boo make this board book a staple for any baby’s collection.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Book Reviews: More by Allan Ahlberg that we’ve reviewed: Each Peach Pear Plum and Mockingbird
- Book Reviews: More board books for the very young include I Kissed the Baby (another starred review), Everything A Child Should Know About God, and God Cares for Me
- A Resource: Favorite Classics for Book Lovers (scroll down to get to the picture books!)
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