Yummy Yucky, by Leslie Patricelli

Yummy Yucky, by Leslie Patricelli, is a fantastic book for small children. It's part of a series of opposites books written by Patricelli, which includes Quiet Loud, Big Little, and No No Yes Yes. Each set of facing pages shows a pair of scenes. One is yummy. One is yucky. "Spaghetti is yummy!" says the first page. "Worms are yucky," says the second. Each set of images are linked, either by the sound of the words or the look of the objects.

Kids love the easy-to-follow pattern of the text, and the pictures are fantastic. Something about the naked baby with the enormous head seems to delight them, and his over-the-top expressions are easy to understand and identify with.

This is a great book to read to kids starting as young as 4-6 months. With short, snappy sentences and interesting pictures, it will hold their interest from a young age. As they get older, it can serve as a reminder of the kinds of things we do and don't put in our mouths ("Boogers are yucky"). It was one of the first books my son could "read" entirely on his own, and as he closes on four, he still likes to listen to it, and even read it to his little sister.

If you like Yummy Yucky, check out these other books by Leslie Patricelli: