Opposites: Big and Little by Luana Mitten

Published in 2008, this 24 page book is part of Rourke Publishing's Concept series. Other books cover colors, numbers, and shapes, but the focus of this volume is big-and-little.

The book uses bright, kid-friendly photographs where the color runs from edge to edge. And while the first example is pretty standard -- a baby contrasted with an adult woman-- it should be noted that Big and Little doesn't rely on the same old examples. In one montage, for example, the author chooses to contrast a goldfish in a bowl with sharks, turtles, and fish in a giant aquarium. And in another instance we see a hornet emerging from a small hole in some wood with the image of a rather large rabbit lounging in the opening of a huge underground den.

Considerations :::
This is a clever book that stands out from the other opposite books currently on the market. It's creative and unusual examples should especially appeal to young children who still need to do some work with "opposites" but who have grown bored with the standard sets of contrasts.

Because toddlers and preschoolers soon outgrow the need for 'comparison' books, I suggest Big and Little as a library acquisition-- unless there are other children in the family that will be able to use the book later on.

It should be noted that the "Concept" series is also available in Spanish and that the Accelerated Reading Level for this book is "1".