Hoban,Tana. Look Up, Look Down. Book Review.

This is a wordless early childhood concept book. Each page holds a single photograph. The child must identify whether they would look down or look up to see the item in the picture. Children might enjoy looking through the pages but this book is structured to be used by an adult with a preschooler, ages 2 to 4.

There are a wide variety photographs, some quite clever such as the one taken from below the bleachers. It was published in 1992, and at that time the photographs would have been praised. But, in 2014, when hundreds of astonishingly beautiful photographs are available for viewing on the Internet, these photos might not be as captivating as they once were.

Depending on the age and ability of the child, this book would most likely be read only once. However, if an adult wanted to extend the learning experience I would encourage a “look up, look down” walk. Bring a digital camera and have the child photograph things that are up and things that are down. This could be made into a simple slideshow or printed and cut and pasted into the child’s own book.

Well Recommended.