I was recently introduced to the All About Bustletown book series for kids and I absolutely fell in love with it. This particular series follows the adventures of the same bustling town throughout the four seasons, each book represents a different season.
The books remind of me Where’s Waldo with the tiny amazing details. You can peruse the books with your child and see if you can identify the same people in different places throughout town. You can see how the Farmer’s Market has different produce to offer in different seasons, the children are playing in different ways, the farm animals are in different places, shopping bags are filled with different things, hobbies change as the seasons do. The books have few words but there is so much to explore and learn just by observing.
For instance, if you are paying attention you will notice the changing of the foliage, the fact that Bonnie the cat has new kittens, a squirrel is storing nuts, certain townspeople love to read and others love to play musical instruments, or the lady that sold ice cream all in summer eventually stopped selling ice cream and started selling roasted chestnuts in the Fall. You can see how people’s lives change and evolve over the seasons and the different work and hobbies they engage in at different times.
As kids pore over these oversized spreads, they will delight in identifying the same characters on each page as they walk, play, jog, and roller skate–from homes to parks and office buildings to rail stations. In the tradition of Richard Scarry and Where’s Waldo, this book encourages kids to return again and again to these charming spreads, following along with the characters and inventing their own stories.
These books are great for engaging young minds and starting conversations about the way we live, work, play, and eat all throughout the year. I hope you check them out. Enjoy!
