Stanley the hamster and his friends Little Woo and Teddy demonstrate nine opposing pairs of words in this follow-up to his previous board books about colors and shapes. The bold colors and thick black outlines of Bee's illustrations make a strong impact while clearly depicting the opposing terms: "Little Woo is in the water. Stanley is out of the water," he writes as the two toss a beach ball back and forth, as Little Woo sits in a kiddie pool. There's the occasional oddity (the British term canoe is used to describe kayaks in one scene), but the book's sharp design and playful humor will hit the spot with Stanley's fans. Simultaneously available: Stanley's Numbers. Ages 2-6. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Toddler-PreS-Lovable duo Stanley and Little Woo educate readers about basic concepts. In Numbers, they prepare for a picnic and readers count along with them as they near the final celebration. In Opposites, they act as counterparts in a comedic fashion. In both volumes, the intermittent appearance of vertical spreads is visually refreshing and allows for more dynamic scenes: for -instance, Stanley carrying nine cheese wheels, with Little Woo happily riding on top. Kids will be asking for these by name. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.