MAMA’S WILD CHILD/PAPA’S WILD CHILD

While one among many in the “If I were your . . . ” genre, this stands out, nonetheless, for its softly sweet illustrations and the factual information it presents. Unlike most flip books, this one does not simply repeat, substituting “papa” for “mama.” Instead, six different animals and their young are highlighted by each parent as they tuck their own “wild child” into bed at night. From the jungle and the ocean to Antarctica and the plains, the habitats and animals are widely varied. Facts are nestled both in the text itself and in a separate sentence within the illustration. The focus is on some of the more amazing facts about the animal kingdom—llama mamas hum to communicate, while male seahorses can become pregnant the same day they give birth. Even if these fail to sustain, the onomatopoetic descriptions of some animal behavior surely will—papa fish catch stray fry in their mouths and “spit-tooey” them back into the nest. Hilb’s illustrations are amazingly realistic in color and form, but at the same time tailored to a younger audience—the animals have soft expressions and could easily be stuffed toys. Nicely done. (Picture book. 2-6)