FROM OUR EDITORS

The lovable little Maisy stars in this oversize lift-the-flap book, both easy to read and fun to play with. In five spreads loaded with more than 35 flaps, readers can look for Maisy and her friends, count flowers and bugs, guess colors, and match shapes with everyday objects. A big read filled with the joy and color that Maisy fans have come to adore!

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Children everywhere are crazy for Maisy, the adorable and celebrated mouse created by award-winning artist Lucy Cousins. In Maisy's Big Flap Book, Maisy and her friends -- Cyril, Tallulah, and Charley -- are busy working in the garden, painting and playing in the playroom, and having fun at the park. Young children will eagerly join in, and with 36 flaps to lift, they'll discover a dazzling world of numbers, colors, shapes, and opposites!

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Everyone's favorite mouse is back in Maisy's Big Flap Book by Lucy Cousins. Multiple flaps on the opening spread allow youngsters to "call on" Maisy and her friends, each in his or her own house; they then proceed to count the creatures in the garden, pick out shapes as they clean up the playroom, and reward themselves after their hard work with a spread of activities on the playground. ( Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Lucy Cousins' Maisy is a popular mouse character with the preschool set. She stars in a new interactive book—Maisy's Big Flap Book. It is a sturdy board book with thirty-six flaps that focus on learning shapes, counting and color. Try this activity-inspired book to help endure long plane and car travel, restaurant waits, or enjoy hotel down time. 2001, Candlewick, $8.99. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Susie Wilde

Kirkus Reviews

Readers explore basic preschool concepts with that ever-popular mouse, Maisy (Happy Birthday Maisy, 1998, etc.). Touting over 36 flaps, this giant-sized board book introduces children to counting, shapes, colors, and the notion of opposites. Cousins uses scenarios familiar to young children to underscore the concepts presented. Along with Maisy and her trio of friends, readers can toil in the garden counting insects and blossoms, choose colors for painting, clean up shapes in the playroom, and learn about opposites on the playground. What makes this bright, engaging book exceptional is its solid educational foundation that never loses its playful edge. By combining brief text with simple questions that prompt readers to investigate the flaps, Cousins successfully introduces a new idea while fostering readers' comprehension-all in a beguiling, entertaining manner. For example, the playroom features a shelf full of toys and readers are asked to identify the ones that match a particular shape. Along the bottom of the page are labeled flaps depicting each basic shape. Readers can lift the flaps to reveal the matching toy underneath-a diamond-shaped kit, a triangular hat, etc.-effectively extending the concept of shapes to incorporate real-life applications. Cousins's gaily colored, child-like illustrations feature favorite characters, with each full-bleed, two-page spread containing a myriad of flaps for little ones to lift and explore. Brimming with interactive educational opportunities-and a whole lot of fun to boot-this is a notable addition to the Maisy collection. (Board book. 2-5)