JUST A BANANA written and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

Barney Saltzberg’s JUST A BANANA is a perfect “now and later book,” a term I learned from my mentor, Jody Fickes Shapiro. The board book format makes it sturdy for lots of years of reading, the flap quality provides for interaction at a toddler level and humor for those who are embarking on reading adventures. The few words hold interest for young and are not unmanageable for new readers. And at all levels, imagination is wonderfully at play. Illustrator-writer Barney Saltzberg brings humor and wondering with a series of photographs that picture a banana in different positions and states of peel and unpeel. The accompanying narrative wonders if appearances might be deceiving and a flap reveals a ridiculous, funny response. You can find out more about this book at the purchase link below.