Mirror Play What Am I?

by Monte Shin

In this creative wonder, artist Monte Shin uses shape and symmetry to turn what look like random squiggles into recognizable forms. This uniquely interactive book needs the reader's help to finish the pictures, because they can only be seen using the attached fold-up mirror. Once the mirror is in place, readers can spin the central art on each page to reveal not only an array of fun abstract shapes, but a delightfully surprising final image. Enormously fun to play with, little ones will get a taste of how this book works on the MirrorPlayBook YouTube video or by using the QR code on the back cover.

Genres: Picture Books

Hardcover

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance]

This wildly novel board book challenges children to fold a mirror over a moveable figure and make something new.

Parents will enjoy trying this.

[Karen]

Disclaimer: I just received a free copy from the publisher after watching a webinar about new books for the preschool age coming out this year. That however, doesn't impact my delight in this manipulative book which I can't wait to carefully share with my granddaughter. For those three and up it offers a clever way to spin a cutout while holding a mirror at a right angle to the page. As the spinner cutout twirls, a number of shapes appear as a whole, until in just the right position an item or animal forms - a ladybug, an airplane etc. Half the fun is seeing that the other shapes revealed could express a picture too - a space capsule for instance is one shape the pieces that form the plane suggest as the image is pushed around. For those who love puzzles and pop ups, this terrific book offers something different.

[Sandy Brehl]

The premise and construction of this board book invites little fingers to explore, but do so with an adult, please, or the spinnable figures on each spread will soon be loose from the book. I taught concepts of light reflection and refraction and symmetry with 8-9 year olds and would have welcomed this to use in that setting independently.
Mirror reflections are a wonderful topic to explore with tots, and the completed/reflected figures/images are identified and labeled on the back pages.
I can see the challenges of offering this in a classroom or public library for use by toddlers, but when shared with an adult it will delight and can trigger wider interests in visual puzzles- like magification, refraction of water, distance perspective, etc.

[Ché Constable]

Greta book to link with maths as it focuses on lines of symmetry. This book would be great to have on display when learning about symmetry in maths particularly in key stage one as it offers a contextual representation of lines of symmetry through illustrations.

[Kirsti Call]

Very fun interactive board book!

[Marta Timbrook]

An engaging, exciting, and sturdy book that introduces symmetry and refraction in a very hands-on way. If you have an older toddler or preschooler, it is also good for making predictions.

[BrookesEducationLibrarian]

Really fun little board book with a mirror attachment to help you guess what's hiding on each page!

[Mel Leigh]

Even as an adult, I found this HIGHLY entertaining and even found myself stumped on the last picture! It's simple to use but a great way to develop solving skills.