FICTION

Wild Child

by Steven SALERNO
illus. by Steven Salerno. 32p. Abrams. 2015. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781419716621.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Lions, rhinos, and crocs are no match for a certain fierce creature that parents (and older siblings) will instantly recognize: an unhappy human baby. Salerno pairs rhythmic language with action-packed images to show the naked, pink-skinned baby terrorizing the jungle, followed by each animal's doomed attempt to soothe, feed, or entertain this little beast. A full-spread close-up of the baby's howling face shows just how spectacularly the animals have failed, and it takes a thoughtful gorilla to finally coax the baby into a nap. All of the animals, including the baby, have cartoonishly big heads and thick, oversize eyebrows used for expressive effect. Bright, sketchy illustrations in crayon, gouache, and digital media will work for group read-alouds or one-on-one sharing.
VERDICT Wild children and their caregivers will get a kick out of this jungle romp.
Reviewed by Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library
A pink, naked human baby, a.k.a. the Wild Child, is biting, kicking, and otherwise irritating the other jungle animals. The animals intervene (e.g., the anteater feeds it bugs; the elephant sprays it with water), but "the wild child just got wilder." Then the gorilla has a clever idea. With its deadpan text and hilariously expressive mixed-media illustrations, this is a definite kid-pleaser.
 , Sep 01, 2015

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