This Little Explorer

Travel through time with pioneering explorers of ocean, land, sky, and space in this informative, engaging board book. This title is refreshingly substantial and goes above and beyond many other books for babies and toddlers, which consist too often of basic numbers, colors, and ABCs. While there is no particular story line, the biographical blurbs appear in chronological order starting with the earliest featured explorer, Leif Erikson. General facts are taught about each explorer including their name, where they explored and who they were with. Unlike some history books for children that can be quite dense (borderline dull), this book’s perfect rhymes and metered cadence make it a fun, flowing read. But don’t assume the readability means it’s light on substance—even adults will learn something new and will find it a joy to read and re-read. The rhyme portion of each page may be enough for little ears, but additional information is included on the opposite page, so as the child grows, the book has more to give. The illustrations are in bright and cheery colors. They’re also simple, which matches the tone of the simplified explanations about each pioneer. The last page of the book is dedicated to 11 more explorers to encourage more learning and research. Six of these are female explorers, and it would have been nice to see more of them in the full page featurettes.