THE ANIMAL SONG

An unlikely band makes music in woods and town.

Blocky graphic illustrations introduce a crocodile, a bear, and a weasel as an enthusiastic musical trio. Color-coded text signals “Snap” in green for the croc’s snare drum, “Poom-poom” in brown to accompany the bear’s bass, and an orange “Jingle-jangle” for the weasel’s banjo—together, “Snap-poom-jingle jangle” makes for a fun, onomatopoeic refrain to their upbeat, earnest animal song. The cheerful, anthropomorphic crew won’t quit for winter, but the rest of the forest is winding down (“Shh, now, please, we want to go to bed!”), and as they pop in on a squirrel, a badger, a bat, and others, they find themselves cast out of the woods and into town with their show, at the suggestion of a rat. The band’s positivity and determination are welcomed by the animals who live in town, but after a season of daily playing on a street corner, the crocodile, the bear, and the weasel finally tire themselves. As spring arrives, they decide to return to the woods. There’s no big message here, but the dedication of the animals may be quietly inspiring to some. For others, there’s a subtle lesson about moderation as the trio settle in for a spring hibernation when their friends start emerging from winter naps. An appended musical score and lyrics make this ripe for the truly musical, with plenty of extension opportunities for interested educators. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A happy, harmonious collection of words and images.