The Montessori approach to learning extremely popular and its method of teaching through interactive play, in particular, has been used by White Star to create 'My First Book of Colors' and 'My First Book of the Shapes', fun, stimulating books for children aged 2-4. They have been designed according to Montessori educational and academic principles and have been created especially to enhance the cognitive development of the reader. Developed using progressive complexity, 'My First Book of the Colors' encourages children to learn to name different colours, and then put into practice what they have learnt by colouring in with the correct colour. Finally the book helps them build on stages one and two to combine what they have learnt with things they might already know, allowing for independent play and a fun learning experience. Developed using progressive complexity, 'My First Book of the Shapes' encourages children to learn to identify different shapes, and then put into practice what they have learnt by connecting similar shapes and grouping related shapes together. Finally the book helps them build on stages one and two to combine what they have learnt with things they might already know, allowing for independent play and a fun learning experience. AGES: 2-4 AUTHOR: Chiara Piroddi is a psychologist, an expert in Neuropsychology and specialises in psychotherapy with an evolutionary cognitive address. She graduated in Psychology from the University of Pavia (Italy) and continues to work there as aTeaching Assistant in Physiological Psychology and Professor in Neuropsychology Practice. She is the author and co-author of several scientific publications in the field of Neuropsychology. She lives between Barcelona and Milan, where she works as a developmental therapist. Agnese Baruzzi graduated in Graphic Design at ISIA (Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche) in Urbino. She has worked as an illustrator and author since 2001, writing more than 40 children's books that have been published in Italy, the UK, Japan, Portugal, the US, France and South Korea. She holds workshops for children and adults in schools and libraries and provides illustrations for agencies, graphic art studios and publishers. She is a long-standing collaborator of White Star, illustrating Animal Mix and Match, Curious Creatures, Dinosaurs Mix and Match, Dining with Monsters!, Curious Dinosaurs, Topsy-Turvy Monsters, I'm going to eat you!, Puss in boots and Hansel and Gretel.