Synopsis
Provides visual and language clues that invite young readers to seek out the mysterious animals that are concealed on every spread, in a lavish picture book that also introduces basic verbs and animal behavior.
Reviews
PreSchool-Grade 1. A book of hidden-animal guessing games. Each double-page spread provides visual clues to an animal's identity, together with a verb that might be associated with that creature's behavior. For instance, "build" accompanies a partial picture of a beaver, and "slither" accompanies a snake. In design and typography, the verbs cleverly imitate the actions they depict, e.g., the word "slide" is shown sliding down an iceberg. The double-page spread that follows each clue presents the name and a picture of the animal. MacDonald's illustrations are nicely textured collages of tissue paper colored with acrylic paint. They have great visual appeal. However, not all of the picture puzzles are equally successful and they are inconsistent in their level of difficulty. Some of the animals, like the elephants identified by their trunks, can be readily guessed by young children. Others, like the flamingo identified only by its long stiltlike legs will be more difficult. Also, not all of the verbs provide additional clues. Certainly children will quickly associate "peck" with woodpecker, but many may not associate "climb" with walrus. Since the pleasure in a picture-puzzle book for the very young is in the excitement of prediction and recognition, this is unfortunate. Still, this title will be appreciated for its engaging art and inventive format and will find an audience where there is demand for interactive materials.?Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From MacDonald (with Bill Oakes, Once Upon Another, 1990, etc.), ten action verbs provide the setting for this guessing-game animal adventure for the very young. Action words--e.g., build, slide, swing, hide, wade, and climb--are introduced with colorful, oversized letters imitating the attribute of a particular animal in its natural habitat. Only a fat tail, pair of stick legs, hairy arm, or slippery flipper can be glimpsed in the introductory spreads for each animal. A turn of the page reveals the hidden creature in full view, paired with the word naming the animal in bold, black typeface. One spread pairs the nuzzling letters of the word Touch with two touching elephant trucks; the next spread shows the entire elephants, greeting one another. The letters of Wade move in the same dainty formation through water as the legs of flamingoes on the next page. MacDonald uses an Eric Carlelike medium of cutting clean shapes out of hand-painted tissue papers to create simple, uncluttered wildlife scenes: a pileated woodpecker pecking a tree or a long-necked giraffe reaching for leaves in the high canopy. A glossary of facts on all ten animals, too difficult for the picture-book audience, will be useful to adults sharing the book with children. (Picture book/nonfiction. 2-4) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Ages 3^-5. Distinctive in its use of painted-paper collage, this colorful picture book introduces animals in motion. The first in each pair of double-page spreads features an action, such as wading. The word wade appears in a large, expressive typeface, with the letters forming part of the picture. Where they touch the water, it ripples around them. Two long, slender legs appear, giving children an opportunity to guess what animal is wading. A turn of the page reveals a small flock of flamingos in the shallow water. The playful use of typography continues throughout the book. On the first woodpecker page, the word peck has little bits nicked out of the letters. The last four pages of the book pair small pictures of the animals with informative paragraphs about their appearances, habits, and habitats. The striking illustrations will draw attention, while the guessing game adds to the book's appeal for reading aloud. Carolyn Phelan
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