My toddler son loves board books. I love that he can read a book on his own without having to worry about ripped or wrinkled pages. My son is also fascinated by keys. He loves playing with his toy keys and tries to borrow my set whenever he gets the chance. When recently offered the chance to review Turn the Key Around Town written by Julie Merberg and illustrated by Lucinda McQueen in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new title to my home library.
Author/Illustrator
Founder and president of Downtown Bookworks, author Julie Merberg is the author of many children’s books including My First Book of Girl Power, The Big Book of Girl Power, My Favorite Shoes, and My Favorite Purse. She currently resides in Manhattan with her husband, their four hilarious sons, and a sweet mutt named Alvy Singer.
Illustrator Lucinda McQueen has illustrated numerous bestselling books including My First Little Mother Goose, The Little Red Hen, The Best Easter Basket Ever, and the Sparkling Egg series.
Synopsis
Recommended for little readers ages 3 and older and preschool on up, Turn the Key Around Town is a follow-up to the original Turn the Key: Who Do You See? The 12-page board book features six doors that unlock with a real key to reveal fanciful cakes at the bakery, colorful toys at the toy store, and more hidden treasures. The delightful book teaches vocabulary, colors, and counting as well as enhances fine motor skills. Turn the Key Around Town currently costs $9.55 on Amazon with a list price of $11.99.
Evaluation
Both my kindergartener and toddler enjoy Turn the Key Around Town, but my toddler is most excited about the book. As soon as he saw the key, he whipped open the first page of the book and began figuring out how the key opened and closed the doors. He will sit on the couch for quite some time just opening and closing the doors again. I love that the book helps him improve his fine motor skills.
The text in Turn the Key Around Town is quote simply and takes little readers on a trip through town to find all sorts of goodies. My kindergartener breezes through the words, and my toddler will sit still to hear me or his big sister read the book aloud. The illustrations are quote colorful, and my son loves pointing out familiar objects such as a train and bananas. The quality of the book is also excellent. My kids can be a bit rough with their belongings, but so far the board book has withstood all types of abuse. Overall I am quite impressed, and my toddler son definitely loves his copy of Turn the Key Around Town!
Final Verdict
If your little reader is as fond of keys as my little guy, definitely check out Turn the Key Around Town written by Julie Merberg and illustrated by Lucinda McQueen. Recommended for little readers ages 3 and older and preschool on up, the 12-page board book features six doors that unlock with a real key to reveal fanciful cakes at the bakery, colorful toys at the toy store, and more hidden treasures. My son loves using the key to unlock and lock the doors. The book teaches vocabulary, colors, and counting as well as improves fine motor skills. I am thoroughly impressed with Turn the Key Around Town, and my son totally loves the interactive book!
Purchase Turn the Key Around Town on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘Turn the Key Around Town’ Book Review © 2017 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘Turn the Key Around Town’ © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Turn the Key Around Town’ 1 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Turn the Key Around Town’ 2 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Turn the Key Around Town’ 3 © 2017 Heather Johnson
