This amazing book has a perfect title. It really does invite readers to, literally, seek out what's hidden in the woods, using a sheet of coloured cello magnifying glasses in red, green and blue.
Kids start with the green glass. It looks like nothing is moving on the page. Then it's the blue one where kids might see little signs of life. Then lastly, it's the red glass--that's when the secrets really pop!
Using exquisitely detailed patterns throughout the book, Aina Bestard has created a visual wonderland both adults and kids will adore. It's absolutely stunning how objects pop out of the page, as if by magic, yet remain unseen without the magnifying glasses in place.
Kids will be utterly entranced. I know I was!
Accompanying each double page spread is a line of text that aligns with each coloured glass, for example:
GREEN: Once, thick green forests grew everywhere.
BLUE: When trees are cut down, it's much harder to hide.
RED: It's not just animals who live in the woods.
This is a magnificent production that this talented author/illustrator should be very proud of--and even better for its ecological theme.
And as if all this isn't enough, your kids are going to look utterly adorable with their faces glued to these magnifying glasses, peeking wide-eyed into a magical world. Only caveat: don't show this to more than one child at a time because some violent jostling for those magnifying glasses may ensue!
I'm bananas for this book. Watch out for it.
Title: What's Hidden in the Woods?
Author/Illustrator: Aina Bestard
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, $27.99 RRP
Publication Date: 1 November 2015
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9780500650530
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture Book, Seek-and-Find
