Mix It Up (Press Here)

PreS-Gr 1--Following up his ingenious Press Here (Chronicle, 2011), dynamic and innovative author and illustrator Tullet presents another interactive picture book, this time designed to teach children about color. Tullet shows blobs of paint on white pages and asks readers to touch their fingers to each blob to mix and create new colors. Though the book is clearly aimed at young children, even adult readers will admire this gorgeously made volume--and may find it difficult to resist physically shaking and touching the book as per the author's directions. While simple, the book's design is effective and even intricate in the details: spatters of paint adorn the sides and corners of each white spread, adding an authenticity that readers will love. The text is spare yet inviting ("Now try tilting the book to the right. What do you think will happen? Right again!"). Tullet has in the past proven himself a master at playing with the author/reader relationship, through books such as The Eyes Game (Phaidon) and Help! We Need a Title (both 2014, Candlewick), and this imaginative new work is no exception. Rivaling an iPad for its sheer fun and interactive elements, this engaging and inventive title will easily find fans.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

The opening of Tullet's new book continues in the vein of Press Here as the narrator instructs readers to call forth swarms of multicolored thumbprints: "Tap it again. Tap, tap, tap." This time, though, Tullet has something to teach readers. Smudges of red, yellow, and blue paint are seen on the left, with another spot of yellow on the right; all are in vivid close-up and look wet to the touch. "With one finger take a little bit of the blue... and just touch the yellow. Rub it... gently." A page turn reveals the spot with the blue rubbed in; it's green now, but imperfectly mixed, so the original yellow and blue are still visible. "See?" the narrator asks encouragingly. After making purple and orange, Tullet invites readers to experiment by shutting the book to combine patches of "wet" paint. "Try it again! Got it? Makes sense, doesn't it?" Franceschelli is a talented translator, and the book's conversational tone is an important part of its charm. It's an effective presentation of basic color mixing, and great fun for paint lovers in places where paints can't be used. Ages 3-5. (Sept.)