So Far Up is a perfect book for sharing with toddlers. It's simple and repetitive, it introduces various animals and opposites,and it has a simple story line. The only thing that could make it better would be a larger size for sharing with bigger groups. It was a storytime hit with a small group.

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This deceptively simple board book offers a gentle, repetitive story and a surprise ending.

In the window of a tall house sits a cake. Along comes bear, who is very hungry. But the cake is so far up! As more animals appear, they each climb on top of bear but they still can't reach. Finally, a child appears in the window and... the cake is gone. Or is it?

Close observers will see a black bird on the telephone wire, edging closer and closer and finally snapping up the cherry on the cake, even as the animals suffer (they think) final disappointment. SPOILER: The child brings the cake down to share!

Cute, minimalist illustrations show a range of animals stacking themselves up in kooky attitudes in an effort to reach that delicious cake, but they're just not close enough. The sounds each animal makes as it jumps atop the previous one are delightful, from "fwoop" to "hippity hop".

Verdict: A quirky but fun addition to your board book collection.

ISBN: 9781580898485; Published January 2018 by Charlesbridge; Borrowed from another library in my consortium