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Let's Play
A playful board book from four-time Caldecott Honor-winner Leo Lionni book for the very youngest readers!
“What shall we do today?” two mice ask each other. “Read a book? Pick flowers? Go swimming? Play ball? Climb a tree or gather leaves? Play hide-and-seek or dress-up? Talk on the telephone–until it’s time to say good night?” Lionni’s award-winning graphic art is at its best in this very simple board book that begs to be shared with a baby or toddler.
“What shall we do today?” two mice ask each other. “Read a book? Pick flowers? Go swimming? Play ball? Climb a tree or gather leaves? Play hide-and-seek or dress-up? Talk on the telephone–until it’s time to say good night?” Lionni’s award-winning graphic art is at its best in this very simple board book that begs to be shared with a baby or toddler.
28 pages, Board Book
First published August 10, 1993
2 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Leo Lionni
172 books469 followersLeo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.
Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.
Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.
Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.
Leo Lionni has gained international renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.
Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.
Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 2, 2022
Jimena and I had lots of fun reading this bilingual board book about a couple of mice friends going about their day doing fun stuff until it's time to say buenas noches. I liked the illustrations a lot too!
September 13, 2013
I have gotten a lot of younger babies with the beginning of the school year; or maybe my advertising with the New Mom's group is paying off...
Anyway I am looking for younger, simple books for my laptime and this went over pretty well.
2 mice try to figure out what to do for the day. Suggestions include reading a book. The picture of a telephone is a bit dated. 9/12/12
Used again and found more of the concepts a bit much for babies: climb a tree, play dress up... Blue's Friends seemed to work better.
Anyway I am looking for younger, simple books for my laptime and this went over pretty well.
2 mice try to figure out what to do for the day. Suggestions include reading a book. The picture of a telephone is a bit dated. 9/12/12
Used again and found more of the concepts a bit much for babies: climb a tree, play dress up... Blue's Friends seemed to work better.
October 4, 2020
Correction : Lionni died in 1999 so he obviously was living when this title was produced. Their is a new board book series being published in 2020 by Random House which is obviously being created by his estate.
Whomever owns the rights to the late Leo Lionni’s work is using it to produce board books for the youngest child. It does work as Lionni’s illustrated using collage with a generous amount of white space. These board books have Lionni’s signature mice and I recognize some of the designs from his original titles. Wish I had borrowed some original titles to view as I look at these particular board books. This creative adaption into board books seems to work.
The only criticism I have of this one there is no one under 25 or30 who will recognize the black telephone complete with cord.
Whomever owns the rights to the late Leo Lionni’s work is using it to produce board books for the youngest child. It does work as Lionni’s illustrated using collage with a generous amount of white space. These board books have Lionni’s signature mice and I recognize some of the designs from his original titles. Wish I had borrowed some original titles to view as I look at these particular board books. This creative adaption into board books seems to work.
The only criticism I have of this one there is no one under 25 or30 who will recognize the black telephone complete with cord.
August 2, 2022
Two mice ask each other what they should do that day and then list a TON of possibilities. Bright, vivid illustrations and simple text make this a great choice for babies and toddlers. I read a board book version, but if I could find a larger version I would definitely use this in baby story time. Lots of opportunities to discuss what we like to do. Just a note: one spread has a picture of talking on the phone and it's an old rotary phone so be prepared to answer questions from today's kids about what that old black blob is. :0)
January 28, 2025
This is more like 3.75 stars for the sole reason that I am BEGGING publishers to make larger-format board books of stories like this that would be really, really effective for story time but are just not physically large enough to read to a group. Because otherwise it's awesome--simple illustrations, simple words, even the Spanish is easy enough that if we didn't have a native speaker volunteering to help with stories in Spanish I would be comfortable reading this to a group. It's so good for babies/toddlers! But board books are so small. :(
March 9, 2021
I actually liked this one quite a bit. It's got simple, almost geometric illustrations, but with color and texture variety. It's a very simple story, but with solid sentence structure rather than just short phrases or words. The illustrations contrast with a simple background, and kept my son's eyes engaged.
January 12, 2024
Another book that I could understand every word in Spanish! For those of you who are fluent in more than one language I suppose that my book reviews on trying to learn Spanish may seem funny: but I think there are lots of people out there like me that are trying (in later life) to learn another language. Just have to keep adding to my vocabulary!
April 13, 2020
Let's Play is another delightful mouse book by Leo Lionni. The pictures are adorable and the whole book is just so sweet. Also, provides plenty of ideas for what to do on a wide-open day.
February 1, 2022
Cute and fun bilingual board book.
December 5, 2022
A cute board book for babies and toddlers
August 12, 2025
I’m still too little for this to work for me but my mom says the illustrations are really nice! I like to look at the black and white last page though!
February 10, 2011
I love this book, and so does my dad. I think it's his favorite of all my books. The illustrations are all paper tear-outs, which means that there are not too many images and colors on each page, making them easy for me to look at. It's a very sweet book. Thanks, Kelsey!
June 28, 2007
Short, good for final title in a program. Have the kids pantomime the text.
September 13, 2008
Lionni's books are timeless and this one is no different. Its illustrations are engaging. It also introduces some new vocabulary (ie. "gather leaves").
December 19, 2016
Read at Toddler Lap Time on 7/5/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
February 9, 2013
Sometimes reading a simple book about playing is just the best way to start a happy day at home.
March 27, 2013
I like Lionni's style of illustration. The text is simple and since the story follows a typical day's activity it's appropriate to read any time of day.
October 25, 2015
Love Leo Lionni's illustrations!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews