What Animals Really Like

Gr 1—2—This amusing story begins when readers open two foldouts to part a pair of red curtains. On stage is a large group of animals ready to give voice to the composer/conductor's new song. Unfortunately, his preconceived notions about the creatures are evident. For example, "We are lions,/and we like to prowl./We are wolves,/and we like to howl./We are pigeons,/and we like to coo." But when the cows sing, "We are cows,/and we like to…dig," Mr. Herbert Timberteeth hesitates. "Dig" was not part of his song. He allows the performance to continue, though, as the monkeys, horses, and worms sing their lines. But when the warthogs start blowing bubbles to demonstrate what they like to do best, and the kangaroos croon about their love of Ping-Pong, the conductor is ready to quit. The pen, ink and marker-pens illustrations show a number of animals dressed in their finest. They become livelier and bolder as their performance goes on. Although Robinson keeps the focus and humor on the well-lit stage, she occasionally pans over to the audience where all readers see are the many colorful eyeballs peering out of the darkness. Sublime silliness.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada