Ploof (Ploof #1)

PreS-Gr 2--Children fond of interacting physically with their books will enjoy playing with Ploof--a small, ungendered white cloud with great big eyes--who, if properly asked and encouraged, can change shape with page turns to a star or all sorts of animals, be freed from an entangling tree with a shake, and go for rounds of seek and find by blending in with a crowd of kites or a herd of woolly sheep. "Oh! Yes! There! You're great at spotting." And if blowing too hard to plump up and move Ploof around runs a risk of some unsanitary spitting, a congratulatory high five slap, no matter how vigorously delivered, shouldn't do much damage. Better yet, a goodbye wave and then a hug at the end offers both a sense of resolution and a gentle way to close the book. A very simple, low-key alternative to Hervé Tullet's Press Here and its higher energy ilk. VERDICT A mix of hands on and potentially more distant interactions make this most suitable for sharing with the smallest of groups or individual audiences.--John Edward Peters

In this interactive picture book, Clanton and Chou Musser give readers a chance to practice empathic responses through engagement with an emotive cloud named Ploof. "This is Ploof. Ploof is feeling lonely. Can you say hello?" beginning lines encourage, and a page turn reveals that "Yay! Ploof is happy to see you." Other prompts request help in supporting Ploof through a momentary bout of shyness and in cheering the cloud when its raindrop-like tears start to fall. As the playful cloud morphs shapes, amid other activities, it emits phrases including "Oof!" and "Whoosh!" Following a playful game of hide-and-go-seek, the literary playdate comes to a close with a high-five, a wave, and a hug. "Thanks for being such a fantastic friend," the narrator models. Powdered graphite, eraser, and pencil artwork employs sky-blue digital coloring in this friendly volume that makes social interaction look easy. Ages 2-5. (Sept.)