A Tower of Giraffes: Animals in Groups

Gr 1–3—Employing a clever combination of ink, watercolor, and collage (materials include fabric and feathers), Wright presents 16 examples of collective noun designations for different animals, such as a mischief of mice and a prickle of hedgehogs. Readers also learn a bit of information about each creature: for instance, within a drove of pigs, some will "sleep beside the same companion for many years." The charm of this book is the use of different media for the collages. The sheep's bodies are made of pieces of wool sweaters, while the penguins' bodies resemble upholstery fabric or decorative wallpaper designs. With tiny strokes of black ink, Wright has added details to each animal, creating whimsical and endearing facial expressions. Though Woop Studios' A Zeal of Zebras: An Alphabet of Collective Nouns (Chronicle, 2011) contains a lot more material, features equally enchanting artwork, and covers more creatures, Wright's title will also please young animal lovers.