Talk about shelf appeal! Graphically striking covers featuring favorite toys lure readers into these succinct overviews of the development and continuing evolution of each product line. And the eye-catching design doesn’t stop at the covers—interior spreads feature large typefaces and chunky display fonts, with plenty of white space and full-bleed captioned photos of products, manufacturing equipment, and creators. Although the text is spare, there is still room for some unexpected side trips and twists; for instance, readers learn that the company that made Crayola crayons also supplied carbon for tires, and LEGO used to be made of wood. A two-page time line, glossary, and index introduces new readers to essential reference book structures. VERDICT Clear winners in early reader nonfiction.
