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All the artsiest toddlers (and their parents) will be clamoring for these “coffee table board books” published by Appleseed, a new Abrams imprint catering to aesthetics-minded birth-to-five-year-olds.

French import Hippopposites (May) by Janik Coat brings the hip to opposites books. In every spread, a pair of hippos demonstrates the featured concept. The old standbys are there (small/large, light/dark), alongside less common concepts like full/empty, dotted/striped, clear/blurry, etc. Soft/rough adds a tactile element, while opaque/transparent, positive/negative, and front (full-on view of hippo)/side (a thin vertical line) sneak in some art- and color-theory.

Think yellow is a yawn and purple’s passé? Look to Pantone Colors (March) for raincoat, French fry, and giraffe yellow; rhubarb, mulberry, and velvet purple. Right-hand pages show the conventional color names while left-hand pages are made up of sample squares straight from the Pantone book.

Less mod but just as design-y are My Birdie and My Bunny (both March), illustrated by Jessie Ford. These “puzzle book” board books feature four removable pieces that fit back together to make a little picture. Cute animals, sturdy pages, and puzzle pieces: my two-year-old will be in heaven.

In honor of Dr. Seuss’s 108^th birthday (happy birthday Ted!), the premiere of the new animated The Lorax film, and the  annual Read Across America Day, I took a look at David A. Carter’s The Lorax Pop-up! book (Robin Corey Books/Random House, January). After all, I am a reviewer. I speak for the books!

This edition keeps the original text intact, which I appreciated. Reading the story aloud at my desk, I relished each Seussian rhyme in stanzas scattered across the eight colorful spreads. Seuss’s tall Truffula Trees and the Once-ler’s factory are perfectly suited to appear as pop-ups; gatefold panels offer additional pop-ups, pull tabs, and special effects to bring the story to life. As with any pop-up book, if read enough times this one will show its age eventually, but the spreads are well chosen and Seuss’s text and illustrations are creatively placed. I only wish Random House would have used recycled paper—it would have been appropriate given the book’s message!

And here’s another Lorax-related treat: check out Stephen Colbert’s discussion of the plethora of movie tie-ins that have been popping up everywhere (and in unlikely places). Enjoy his tribute to Seuss’s rhymes at the end of the clip!