What is it:

Inside Outside is a charming illustrated book by Lizi Boyd, published in 2013. There are no words in the book and the richly illustrated pages pages alternate between inside a child’s home and outside in the yard. Cutouts in the pages act as windows, giving peeks into what is happening on adjacent pages.

Who is it for:

Inside Outside is a great story to read at bedtime. There are no words, so it’s not about teaching to read. Rather it’s a chance to talk with a young child, asking what’s going on in the pictures.

What Kids Like:

They like the simple, yet rich illustrations, and the implicit storyline that runs through the book as the seasons progress. They like looking for the little mice on each page. And they like anticipating what is going to happen on the next page.

What Parents Like:

Kids like reading the same book every night, which can get boring for us parents, but Inside Outside has enough detail on each page that I’m able to stay interested every time. I like the sweet, whimsical world created by the author. And I like the chance to discover and create the story suggested in the book.

What the Critics Think:

Goodreads gives it a score of 3.93/5
Amazon gives it 4.6/5

Books 4 Your Kids has a nice review, as does Kirkus

Concerns/Flaws:

None. This is just a wonderful book.

Who Made it/History:

Lizi Boyd is a Vermont-based illustrator, perhaps best-known for her line of greeting cards.

Inside Outside was published in 2013 by Chronicle Books

Boyd has another, also charming book called Flashlight

Where Can I Get it:

Amazon has it. It’s available at some bookstores, but may have to be special-ordered.