Open the Barn Door, Find a Cow

I gave this book 5 stars because if you manage your expectations, it more than delivers. At 4"x4", it is small, compact, light and portable--great for a NYC mom like me who carried it with me everywhere we went during the 9 month-2 year period of my son's babyhood. It was great at simultaneously demonstrating the lift-the-flap book concept and introducing farm animals and their sounds to babies. As my son grew older, (as kids do with their toys and books), his relationship and engagement with the book evolved as well and I found him thoroughly enjoying not only the flap-lifting, but also combining reading of the book with intermittent breaks of "Old McDonald" stanzas. For a small book, it has a lot of punch.

This book was loved by all my kids at around 1.5 years on up. Get a few copies as toddlers can be rough with the doors and they eventually do fall off. I give this book as a gift as well when friends have babies. Kids always love to see animals and hear animal sounds. It is no wonder this book is popular!

This book is a favorite with my 21 month old. We got it when she was 18 months old when she already had many animal books. But she always goes back to this one. It has great illustrations and is sturdy, flaps aren't easily wrecked. She shakes her finger at the goat biting on the sock ("no, no bite"). We now 'knock' on the doors before we open them, so it is new all over again to her. She is speech delayed to it is great hearing her try to say 'cockadoodledoo'.

Our copy's gone through two kids, and I need to get another for #3 on the way because it's been so well loved by the first two. It was the absolute favorite of both my son and daughter. Highly recommend!