Animals All Around

Stripes are found in nature in a variety of flora and fauna in many habitats. From exotic to domestic, revel in observing stripes in carefully crafted illustrations and lyrical text. Additional information and a playful call to match animal with stripe ends this handsome volume.

Sharp eyes are needed to see most of the well-camouflaged creatures in the Costa Rican rainforest presented in stunning, realistic illustrations. A simple, repeated sentence lets emerging readers know what (e.g., bird, snake) to look for in each double page spread. The animals are specifically identified on the final page.

The sounds familiar animals make (such as squeak, meow, oink) are each presented in a simple sentence. The letters used in the onomatopoeic sound are embedded in a strong graphic image of the animal. Colors of the image and animal sound correspond, placed on an uncluttered white page. Some jump out, others require careful examination; all are clever.

The travels of an independent black cat parallel that of a family of four. Both start and end in Rome but intersect as they visit landmarks in other European cities. Lyrical text and delicate, detailed illustrations evoke the wonder of travel. The trip concludes with brief information about the places visited; end pages include a rough map of the travel.

When Old MacDonald tires of cutting his large suburban lawn, he gets a goat and then a very smart little red hen. When compost and manure are added — and in spite of neighbors’ concerns — MacDonald has a thriving farm to everyone’s delight! This lively, rhyming tale with its exaggerated illustrations just may inspire suburban and perhaps urban gardening.

A dot of “dirt (and everything in it)” is a meal for the earthworm seen in a stylized, double page illustration. Four pages open with gatefolds to show the giant squid which is the sperm whale’s feast. Actual sizes of what animals eat are dramatically presented with additional information on the last spread.

Lulu and her cousin, Mellie find a bag on their doorstep with a large marigold-colored cat in it. How will the children and Lulu’s grandmother resolve the problem of an abandoned and wary cat? Their dilemma and the story’s resolution are recognizable and appealing. Though the latest installment of a series, this reads as a stand-alone.

As swamp residents move, water ripples and the creatures munch, gulp, swallow, and more. Short, rhythmic sentences and simple but realistic illustrations present a wetlands food chain. A brief endnote describes the environment and “balance of nature.” The language in this informational picture book reads well aloud, likely to engage  listeners.

When 13 well-known illustrators are asked about their favorite animal, the results are as varied in word and illustration as each artist’s style. Eric Carle introduces a cat called Fifi, while Mo Willems’ is “an Amazonia Neotropical Lower River Tink-Tink.” A clever collection of the exotic and expected is rich and varied; plus it benefits the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

A golden retriever with a “smart nose” is doing his job: tracking down a young child lost in the woods. The dog’s narration is gentle with the child he’s tracking seen in the dog’s thought bubbles. Additional “dog nose facts” and advice for teachers and parents are presented after the child and parents are reunited.

Bilingual book celebrates the bond between parent and child in the animal kingdom. Babies — whether in snowy dens, warm lagoons, cozy nests, or living rooms — are carried and cuddled, nurtured and nuzzled.