Out of Sight by Francesco Pittau and Gervais

This intriguing lift-the-flap and pop up book is really a fun guessing game.  From one page to the next, the book changes.  First it is silhouettes of animals.  Lift the flap and you get the answer of what animal it is plus a fact about that animal.  There are also sections where you guess the animal from their tracks, their fur, and their tails.  The book is great fun for young science and animal lovers.

The large format of the book will make it challenging on library shelves, but I wouldn’t expect it to sit there for long anyway.  Nicely, the flaps and pop ups are sturdy enough to stand up to library use.  The concept is a very strong one with plenty of appeal thanks to the strong design elements.  Each page is visually attractive and well designed. 

At times, the illustrations can be a bit off, making guessing more frustrating.  The facts about the animals are random and unrelated to one another, so the occasionally book lacks cohesion.

A great book for reluctant readers, this is less of an informational book and more of an inviting and sophisticated introduction to animals and their variety.  Appropriate for ages 4-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Jean Little Library.