Board Books for Infants and Toddlers-Reviews and Interview with Author

Dubravka Kolanovic's Hello, Bunny is an adorable first board book for infants and toddlers. The small size makes it easy to hold and toddlers will love carrying this one around. Bunny finds playmates with the other toys in the playroom. The colorful illustrations feature all of the activities that babies and toddlers love to participate in each day. Sliding down a slide, playing with a toy train, and snuggling with a story are all part of an infant's day. Bunny loves all of these activties, and even finds time to make some musical noise with musical instruments from the kitchen. The rhyming text is special and encourages language development along with listening skills. Hello, Bunny has an ISBN of 978-0-593-12361-4.

Dubravka Kolanovic's Love You, Baby is another adorable board book to share some cuddle time and reading with your infant or toddler. Start the new year off with introducing reading to your baby or toddler. Love You, Baby is filled with fun ideas for babies with laughter, giggles, splashing in the bath, and cuddle time with a book. All of these activities show your baby that their world can be filled with love. Colorful illustrations by the author make this a special book. The heart-shaped cutouts are also part of each page. Love You, Baby has an ISBN of 978-0-593-12359-1.

I was privileged to send interview questions to Dubrav Kolanovic to include with my review of her two charming board books for infants and toddlers. She shared insights about her career and her love for writing for infants and toddlers.

Question: "How do you choose your subjects for your children's books and especially the subjects for books for infants such as these board books?"

Dubravka Kolanovic: " For me, the challenge lies in conveying positive ideas through my work. I seek the messages that promote love, kindness, tolerance, friendship, environmental awareness. I have a wonderful collaboration with a team of designers at Little Tiger Press in London, and we worked together on these cute board books."

Question: "Why do you prefer to write and illustrate children's books?"

Dubravka Kolanovic: "I feel privileged to be able to live in this happy, colorful world of children's books! Children are the most sincere and grateful audience an author can get!"

Question: "Have you always wanted to write children's books, or did this career come about by accident?"

Dubravka Kolanovic: "When I was a little girl, I spent hours drawing and making up stories. I was very lucky to publish my first picture book at 18 years after I won a writing and illustration competition. Huge thanks to David Melton, then editor at Landmark Editions, for everything he did to help me make illustration my career."

Question: "Do you have plans to write books for older children, or do your prefer to write for infants and toddlers?"

Dubravka Kolanovic: "Infants and toddlers are the perfect audience for my creative work."

Question: "Board books are extremely popular with parents who have infants and toddlers. What are your feelings about reading to infants and toddlers and what do you feel are the benefits of having books in this form for infants and toddlers? Do you have children of your own?"

Dubravka Kolanovic: "There is always a very special interaction between child and parent when reading a book. Reading time is precious for both parents and child-it's a time to cuddle, learn, and strengthen their bond. I am the mother of three children.

I have traveled a lot and was touched by the fate of so many children living in extreme poverty and unstable conditions! Driven by these thoughts, at the age of 19, I illustrated my first card for UNICEF, and since then, I have illustrated many more. Children are our future and our responsibility is to provide them with happy childhoods. We have tried to convey an atmosphere of happiness and warmth in these little board books."