These are two new board books from Happy Yak – thanks to the publishers for sending them for review

Parp!
Mike Henson and Jorge Martin

Have some room freshener to hand when you share this whiffy book with your little ones.
It tells the tale of what happens as a group of assorted animals get into a lift, the doors close – it’s a tight fit – and then shortly after, one of their number breaks wind emitting a very very stinky aroma. But who was the culprit?

At the next floor, the lift stops, the doors open and an animal exits – the whiff maker? We’re not sure. The same thing happens again as soon as the lift continues its journey – PHOAW! 

Then at the next floor another animal walks out and so it continues until there are just two animals left – or are there? No! make that three. So who is the malodorous culprit? …
All is eventually revealed though the identity of the parp perpetrator might come as a surprise.

With sliders Mike Henson’s squashy, stinky scenario, and a red herring on every one of Jorge Martin’s splendidly expressive spreads, this is huge fun; it’s as well it’s so sturdily built as I’m sure it will need to stand up to lots of re-reads.

What is Chick going to do?
Carly Madden and Caroline Dall’Ava

In this interactive board book that provides a statement and then asks the titular question on every spread, toddlers are introduced to six hatchlings, every one of which is ready for its very first experience. Each chick’s particular adventure is discovered when the curved flap is opened to reveal a colourful scene that often includes little humans.

The first little one belongs to a mother hen and once free from its shell she greets the world with a ‘Cheep, cheep!’. Next comes an adventurous duckling, followed by a little moorhen Then there’s a puffy-looking baby plover, 

a gosling and finally, a cute, sleepy owl ready to take a snooze alongside her parents.

Bright, inviting and engaging, this little book offers plenty of opportunities for adult/child conversations.