OPPOSITES

Rating:
Summary: Humorous illustrations for a basic concept
Review: "Opposites," by Sandra Boynton, combines colorful illustrations with a very simplified text in order to teach the concept of opposites to young children. Each page of the book contains one or two pairs of words that function as opposites: "big" and "small"; "heavy" and "light"; "day" and "night"; etc. The illustrations are delightful. Boynton uses a variety of cartoon animals (pig, snail, elephant, turtle, etc.) to demonstrate the meaning of each pair of words.

My only reservation about the book is that it seems to reinforce dualistic thinking into children. I know that "opposites" is an important concept for children to learn, but I also believe that children need to develop a more flexible way to perceive and describe the world. Boynton's "Opposites" gives no indication, for example, that there is a "room temperature" in between "hot" and "cold."

While I recommend this book for both its humorous artwork and educational value, I also recommend that parents take time to teach their kids that there are many variations between the seemingly irreconcilable opposites presented herein.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: I believe my husband and I enjoy reading these more than our 18 month old son enjoys hearing them. She is beyond funny.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: I believe my husband and I enjoy reading these more than our 18 month old son enjoys hearing them. She is beyond funny.

Rating:
Summary: 4.75 stars
Review: Like every Boynton book, this is a good book. The words rhyme and flow nicely, and the pictures are really cute, bold, and colorful. As its name suggests, this book talks about opposites "Big and small, short and tall." The major downside in this book is the words. They still flow nicely and rhyme without strain, but they lack some little charm that almost all of the other Boynton books have. Another reason for this is that it is a list of opposites illustrated and carefully placed so they rhyme. The pictures and placement of the words make up for the actual words however. My favorite picture is for the in/out, two turtles, one in its shell, and one standing on top of it. Every page has a cute picture. Also, the way the words are written, not the words themselves, is a wonderful thing. The big is written big, the small small, the tall vertical, and in the slow each letter is separated.

Loggie-log-log-log

Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: These Boynton board books cannot go wrong with the young-uns. My nephews and nieces ask me to read them over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: These Boynton board books cannot go wrong with the young-uns. My nephews and nieces ask me to read them over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Really fun and educational
Review: This was a fun way to teach my daughter about opposites and she enjoys it being read to her over and over and telling me the difference now.