PETS

Little animals make all kinds of sounds.

“The cat meows,” and “the dog barks” in this board book, and a guinea pig, a parrot, and a canary also each make their signature noises. Each turn of the page presents a new scene involving a different household pet. The illustrations are labeled here and there with such words as “cage,” “basket,” and “perch” for little readers to learn. The largest animal in each spread has a speaker icon next to it that little ones can press to hear the sound the animal makes. The final two pages of the book present photographs of the animals with their illustrated counterparts next to them. A similar title, Baby Animals, is concurrently published and highlights puppies, kittens, foals, seal pups, and bear cubs. The books' speakers are in the back cover, which will muffle the sound for readers who hold the books in their laps or read them on a surface. The sound quality is otherwise fair, but the books' batteries don’t last too long. After three or four reads the sounds grow noticeably quieter. The illustrations are serviceable, composed of the usual rounded, big-eyed critters and warm colors that currently permeate board books.

An adequately crafted sound book that doesn’t last very long (or, perhaps, just long enough).