In this illustrated board book based on the children's game, readers and listeners alike are prompted to locate the adjectives based on contextual clues.
A popular children’s game makes its way to the pages of this board book, in which a persimmon hot-air balloon, piloted by a girl in a blue hijab, drifts through the countryside as she plays I spy. Double-page spreads feature landscapes dotted with endearing animals (a smiling turtle, a bright-winged butterfly) and two short sentences that form a rhyming couplet. Adjectives appear in bold, and the descriptor in the “I spy” refrain changes with each page turn. “Curious," “quick,” and “brave,” give way to “I spy with my sleepy eye,” as night closes in and, in the final spread, the sun rises.
–Julia Smith, Booklist, 09/01/2022
Curiosity, wonder, and investigation are at the core of this splendid and non-traditional I Spy book. You and your little one get to float through these gorgeous illustrations in an inventive hot air balloon, picking up forest friends along the way, and using the clues to uncover more wonders of the forest and surrounding areas. This book is filled with lovely, simple text, yet gloriously rich in vocabulary for young ones. Bold adjectives jump out at the turn of a page, making this a wonderful book for pre-readers. As with any good picture book, I Spy With My Curious Eye, invites and generates more questions and interests as you read and welcomes the idea of grabbing a picnic and taking this sturdy book outside to explore. What a splendid asset to any toddler room, preschool classroom, or outdoor library. This would make a lovely gift for anyone who values cultivating an ever questioning scientific and imaginative mind.
–Children's Literature, 09/13/2022