Tom and Pippo Reissue Pippo Gets Lost

The talented Helen Oxenbury wrote and illustrated this 10-page board book about toddler Tom's search for his stuffed animal friend, "Pippo." As she explains, "Sometimes Pippo gets lost and Tom has to find him." Oxenbury includes both full-page (full board, perhaps) color pictures and simple line drawings that share the page with the text. For example, there's two cute pictures of Tom pulling on his mom and dad's clothes, asking where he can find Pippa. Following "Daddy's" suggestion, Tom crawls under his bed, but all he can find is Pippa's hat (Tom is too far under the bed for us to see the hat, but at least there's a smiling stuffed animal on top of the bed to look at). When Tom finds Pippa in the bookcase, the scene plays a little flat, but at least he safe and sound and there's the reassuring notion that PIppa has been there the whole time. Adults may like Tom's role-modeling as he tell Pippa "to let him know before he goes away next time." Other Pippa books (there's at least 3 more, all shown on the back of the book) may give more of a context to the Tom/Pippa friendship, and more pictures of the smiling, friendly monkey.

My fourth child (age 27 months) is now enjoying the Pippo books, which she inherited from her older siblings. Helen Oxenbury gets the drawings of toddlers exactly right, and their lives, too- loving their toys; going to the grocery store with Mom; making a friend. These are my very favorite books for small children.

My 2.5 year old little boy liked this book from the onset. Any toddler can relate to losing his favorite toy. Story and illustrations are very toddler appropriate