How do you beat the ever-increasing gadget distractions for little children and introduce them to the world of books? Merlin Publishers has just launched two new boardbooks perfect for your curious little toddler, with the aim of not only encouraging learning but also aiding the motor skills.

L-Opposti: Dawwar ir-Rota and Il-Kuluri: Dawwar ir-Rota are board books with a difference. Apart from the brightly coloured illustrations with the corresponding vocabulary, each page comes with some learning wheel fun.

Are your children learning the difference between huge and tiny? Then by turning round the wheel, the huge elephant will make way for a tiny ant. Dirty and clean? A messy baby turns into an enviably sparkly one. Colours, too, can be easily learnt in a similar engaging manner: the wheel showing a block colour can be turned to reveal animals and objects with matching colours.

These books are ideal for vocabulary building and reinforcing image regognition. They also prod the hand-eye coordination which toddlers would be trying to master at that age. The illustrations on each page are brightly coloured on a white background, with a descriptive word next to them so that children can easily learn the name of the object in each picture.

Toddlers are curious about the world around them and these books will help them - and their parents - in their journey of discovery.

The board books have rounded corners which make them safe and child-proof and in fact carry the European CE marking.

'L-Opposti: Dawwar ir-Rota' and 'Il-Kuluri: Dawwar ir-Rota' are available from all leading bookshops or directly online from merlinpublishers.com