Over in Australia

PreS-Gr 2—Berkes incorporates some of Australia's unique animals in her latest variant of the familiar song, "Over in the Meadow." Among them are wallabies, brolgas, lorikeets, wombats, and bilbies. Each spread provides listeners with a number of baby animals to count in the cumulative verse. A final map of Australia incorporates all of the creatures for additional practice. Dubin's charming paper collages deftly use a variety of patterns plus a bonus "hidden" animal noted on one of the informative pages after the song text. That section also includes more facts about all the mentioned animals, offers suggestions for class activities, explains Dubin's illustration process, and provides the score for those unfamiliar with the tune. A useful supplement for a variety of curriculum areas and a pleasant read just for fun.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato