Tickly Prickly Sampler 4.3.1

This preview edition offers a glimpse into the award-winning collaboration between author Bonny Becker and illustrator Shari Halpern in their interactive picture book Tickly Prickly, designed for children aged 1 to 4. The book features a series of lively, tactile animals and bugs intended to engage young readers through sensory interaction. The gentle, rhythmic text, narrated by the author, is crafted to suit the auditory preferences of toddlers. The vibrant artwork, created using paper, cloth, and paint, invites children to touch and explore.

Examples such as, “Did you ever have a bunny nibble from your palm? How did it feel? Whiskery, shivery. Nose a-quivery,” demonstrate the playful and descriptive language aimed at stimulating a child's curiosity and vocabulary.

Each page depicts animals in motion; touching the illustrations resets the movement, fostering interactive engagement. Additionally, tactile puzzles are integrated, allowing children to assemble four-piece jigsaw puzzles related to each scene by tapping on puzzle pieces. The story can be read aloud by an adult or older child with word highlighting for guidance, or listened to via narrator controls. Navigation between pages is facilitated through swipe gestures or tapping orange arrows.

Bonny Becker's literary credentials include the best-selling “A Visitor for Bear,” which received the E.B. White Read Aloud Award and was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Children’s Book List. Her book “The Quiet Way Home” has been incorporated into the educational program Before Five in A Row, emphasizing her recognition within early childhood literature. With a total of twelve published children’s books, Becker demonstrates a sustained commitment to engaging young minds.

Shari Halpern's background includes formal illustration studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her illustrative work includes titles such as "Hush, Little Baby" and the "I Love" series by Philemon Sturges. Residing in New Jersey with her husband—an accomplished puppet maker—and three children, Halpern’s artwork brings a textured and inviting aesthetic to her books.