Lick by Matthew Van Fleet

Simon & Schuster, 2013. IS 9781471116254.
(Age 2-5) Recommended. Board book. Read aloud. Matthew Van Fleet has created a fun interactive book that is perfect for young children. All sorts of tongues and what they can do are explored in this very sturdy board book that is sure to please toddlers and amuse the adult who is reading to them.
Starting with the front cover, the book grabs the interest of the child with its easy-to-grip pull tab that has a bear with a pink tongue enthusiastically licking honey. From then on there are tactile experiences like a scratchy tiger tongue and a sticky frog tongue, as well as more pull tabs, culminating in a final one where a baby tiger's tongue makes a razz with an accompanying sound.
The language is great to read aloud, with lots of alliteration and humour interspersed throughout:
'Daddy tongue tickles,
Teasing tongue Nyah!'.
Cartoon like characters, coloured in warm tones, have a range of funny expressions that will delight the child who likes to examine details as well as manipulate tabs. Not only will young children experience the senses of taste and feel when reading this book they will also learn about the very different tongues that animals have.
Pat Pledger