Hippopposites [Board book]

Janik Coat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2012 | Age Range: 1 - 4 years

Behold: an opposites book like no other. Simple pairings of words, both expected (small/large) and unexpected (clear/blurry), are humorously illustrated with a graphic and lovable red hippopotamus. Bold colors and surprising die-cuts and textures spice up this elegantly engaging board book.

Praise for Hippopposites
"Nicely done and a perfect gift, your favorite little one will love this book."
—KIWI Magazine

"This is a marvelous introduction to linguistic nuance for the very young."
—The Wall Street Journal

"A distinctive offering stands out in the crowded field of concept contenders."
—Kirkus Reviews

STARRED REVIEW
"French illustrator Coat blends a quirky sensibility with a slick visual aesthetic...it’s an excellent (and fun) vehicle through which to demonstrate the concept."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Award
2013 ALA/ALSC Notable Book
 

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-A bright red hippo is set against a stark white background on each page in this book of opposites. Coat displays the relative nature of opposites by showing that the hippo can be both small and large depending on what it is compared to. Concepts include squared and rounded, invisible and visible, in front and behind, and even include tactile elements for soft and rough. The clean design of this oversize board book takes a seemingly simple subject and gives it complexity. Some of the examples may be a bit abstract for preschoolers, but overall this is an interesting spin on an everyday subject that is worthy of a look.-Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Janik Coat is an author, illustrator, and graphic designer. She works extensively with agencies, collectives, and a number of prestigious French publishers. She is a frequent guest speaker at fine art schools and regularly exhibits her work in galleries. She currently resides in Paris, France.

Product Details

• Age Range: 1 - 4 years
  
• Board book: 38 pages
• Publisher: Abrams Appleseed; Brdbk edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419701517
• ISBN-13: 978-1419701511
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great looking and feeling book for the little tykes! May 29, 2012

By D_shrink VINE™ VOICE

Format:Board book|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book has heavy duty thick pages which should hold up well to the hands of little ones, which in my experience are often covered with food, and or drool. I also mentioned the word FEEL when I might have substituted the word TEXTURE for it. Although all the pages are printed in a glossy finish with bright colors and one word underneath each picture to identify the concepts being presented, some of the pictures as the one for SOFT [uses a pink fuzzy feeling cloth] while the one describing ROUGH [uses a cloth that is or is similar to burlap]. The predominant colors are white and a bright red, which should keep the baby/toddler's attention. I liked the sturdy page construction and it should make the pages hold up well. I can see some one year olds liking the book, but it may find its mark a little better for 16-24 month olds. Each parent's/grandparent's experience is unique and I purchased this for a young grandson. No offense intended to aunts, uncles, and other family members who also buy presents. :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that's simple yet challenging! May 24, 2012

By Erin L. Lowmaster VINE™ VOICE

Format:Board book

Hippooppsites is a fun book that teaches children all about opposites in way that I've never seen before! As the reader opens the book they'll see a very friendly red hippopotamus. As you read on you'll be shown opposites such as small and large, light and heavy, thick and thin, and so on. This book uniquely takes opposites even further and caters toward even the hands on learners in an interactive way by showing with tactile elements of soft (fur) and rough (burlap), featuring the difference between full and empty with die-cuts, and more!

I've been teaching my four year old daughter opposites lately and with the help of this book, she's really getting it! My 16 month old son even enjoys listening to me read and is it quite captivated by the bold pictures. Now this book does take you above and beyond what opposites most kids may be learning. For instance there's opaque and transparent, positive and negative, visible and invisible, clear and blurry and so on. I appreciate the differences and the challenges this book brings to the table. And it's one I'll proudly display on my shelf and recommend to parents that are looking for something different and unique. A book that's simple yet challenging. It's the best of both worlds, in my opinion.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love hippos + this book is great! June 6, 2012

By Ricki Lewis

Format:Board book

I am not a child, but an adult (with a PhD) who loves all things hippos. My home is filled with them. I saw this book on a shelf in a bookstore where I was doing a book signing, and grabbed it. Hippopposites is brilliant. Not only the concepts, but the textures reminded me of reading "Pat the Bunny" to my kids. I sent my copy to another adult hippo lover.