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A Little Book About Opposites
A new board book about opposites for the youngest fans of Leo Lionni--inspired by his bestselling books!
Up, down (and fast, slow) are simple concepts every child should know. Now little ones can learn about opposites with this playful board book, inspired by the works of legendary children's book author-illustrator Leo Lionni! With sturdy pages and colorful collage-style artwork, this book is perfect for boys and girls ages 0 to 5.
Other LEO LIONNI'S FRIENDS Board Books:
A Little Book About Spring
A Little Book About ABCs
A Little Book About Colors
A Little Book About 123s
Up, down (and fast, slow) are simple concepts every child should know. Now little ones can learn about opposites with this playful board book, inspired by the works of legendary children's book author-illustrator Leo Lionni! With sturdy pages and colorful collage-style artwork, this book is perfect for boys and girls ages 0 to 5.
Other LEO LIONNI'S FRIENDS Board Books:
A Little Book About Spring
A Little Book About ABCs
A Little Book About Colors
A Little Book About 123s
28 pages, Board Book
Published June 23, 2020
14 people want to read
About the author
Leo Lionni
174 books471 followersLeo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.
Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.
Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.
Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.
Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.
Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.
Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 21, 2025
This week’s little group baby time library read. This was probably one of the simplest books I’ve read with my little guy so far, but in a lot of ways it’s profound in its bright and simple ways of declaring and describing opposite actions of each other. That and it’s really easy to “fill in” your own words of the story based on the cute pictures to give the story a bit more words, all in all a great easy little book. 3.25/5
August 22, 2021
This colorful board book explains some opposites using mice in various scenes with very few words.
With a short rhyme to start off the book, each two-page spread of the book, features two cute little mice, doing opposite things on opposite pages, with the words of what they're doing beside them. It's a simple book but it's very effective in teaching children opposites. The illustrations feature bright colors of simple objects which add to the effectiveness of the book.
Wet and dry is an example of two of the pages: one mouse is in the water, laughing and splashing inside an innertube, Wet is written on this page. There's a frog on a lily pad beside him, other flowers and lilies are also in the water. On the opposite page, we have the other mouse standing on the dock looking at the other mouse smiling. Dry is written on this page. There's butterflies and clouds in the sky, rocks and green hills in the background. Up/Down, Quiet/Loud, Day/Night, Happy/Sad, Slow/Fast, Near/Far are just a few of the opposites that are explained in this picture book. 5 stars
With a short rhyme to start off the book, each two-page spread of the book, features two cute little mice, doing opposite things on opposite pages, with the words of what they're doing beside them. It's a simple book but it's very effective in teaching children opposites. The illustrations feature bright colors of simple objects which add to the effectiveness of the book.
Wet and dry is an example of two of the pages: one mouse is in the water, laughing and splashing inside an innertube, Wet is written on this page. There's a frog on a lily pad beside him, other flowers and lilies are also in the water. On the opposite page, we have the other mouse standing on the dock looking at the other mouse smiling. Dry is written on this page. There's butterflies and clouds in the sky, rocks and green hills in the background. Up/Down, Quiet/Loud, Day/Night, Happy/Sad, Slow/Fast, Near/Far are just a few of the opposites that are explained in this picture book. 5 stars
August 9, 2021
Simple and very efficient
July 20, 2020
This board book uses Leo Lionni's mice to show opposites such as up-down (on a see-saw), wet-dry (in a pond), awake-asleep, big-small, and more. A cute first-concepts book.
November 3, 2020
Cute, gentle, happy and colorful board book starring a troupe of mice who demonstrate opposites.
November 27, 2020
Short. New vs. far was a new one for Peter.
February 8, 2021
I love Leo Lionni’s illustrations. So simple but very effective in portraying the opposite word pairs in this book, including actions and emotions.
September 15, 2021
Nice read
June 1, 2022
As with most Lionni books: illustrations a 5, story a 3.
August 12, 2023
Love Lionni's style. It's a fairly typical concept book.
November 8, 2024
You read that one to me lots of times. I liked the mouse being the opposite of each other. -Khi 3
November 25, 2024
Lovely illustrations and simple for even the littlest littles!
July 17, 2025
This is concise and effective. The selected opposites are very common, though the illustrations are unambiguous and engaging. I like that the mice are enjoying time out in nature.
January 30, 2021
Here is one of the titles in the new copyrighted series of board books featuring Leo Lionni signature mice as well as recognizable signature elements from his picture books. A stone wall is very familiar at the beginning of this book.
But we also have another illustrator connected with this series, Jan Gerardi.
However, her name is not on the actual book, but is listed here on Goodreads.
Obviously, their is art from this illustrator is interwoven in these illustrations, I think some of that work I think is in the flowers as they do not seem to be Lionni’s style.
Also these titles are being in conjunction with Blue and Yellow LLC. Blue and Yellow was the title of one of Lionni’s picture books.
And yes, for some all this comment will seem irrelevant, but after many years working with picture books, upon picking up one of these board books there is a pause as one realizes that Leo Lionni had a long and distinguished career and what is this I am now holding in my hands.
But we also have another illustrator connected with this series, Jan Gerardi.
However, her name is not on the actual book, but is listed here on Goodreads.
Obviously, their is art from this illustrator is interwoven in these illustrations, I think some of that work I think is in the flowers as they do not seem to be Lionni’s style.
Also these titles are being in conjunction with Blue and Yellow LLC. Blue and Yellow was the title of one of Lionni’s picture books.
And yes, for some all this comment will seem irrelevant, but after many years working with picture books, upon picking up one of these board books there is a pause as one realizes that Leo Lionni had a long and distinguished career and what is this I am now holding in my hands.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews