Listen to Our World

Sampson and the late Martin (Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3) offer a nominal introduction to animals and their homes, as well as a simple call to action: listen. "In the morning, Mommy gives us wake-up kisses and says, 'Good morning, little one. Can you hear the sounds of our world?' " In the windows of many houses, mothers of different colors kiss their children while the words Listen! Listen! Listen! appear in the sky above. A page turn shows a parrot and three nestlings ("Around a giant kapok tree, bright parrots flit and fly. The rain forest is their world"). In vertically and horizontally oriented spreads, readers see families of Gila monsters, bald eagles, kangaroos, elephants, whales, and more, all shown where they live, all making noises to listen for. At last, the tale comes full circle as a mother bids her child good night. Caldecott Honor artist Sweet's (The Right Word) artwork has a primitive, folk-art feel in line with her earlier books, with dreamy, subdued shades of green and blue throughout. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

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Readers of all ages will be charmed by the warmth of Melissa Sweet's illustrations in this celebration of our world. The illustrations pulsate with greens and blues, laid out in mostly horizontal double-page spreads, though they occasionally require the book to be flipped sideways, the spreads shooting up vertically (appropriate for the large cactus surrounded by gila monsters). Giant pandas, too, climb a vertical spread, before the long, snapping crocodile turns the book horizontal once again. Martin and Sampson's spare text emphasizes the sounds each of these lively creatures make: the lion ROARS, of course, but the eagle weee-aaas! Each sound is repeated several times, allowing plenty of opportunity for mimicry, and the environment of each creature is also acknowledged. The book opens with Mommy's wake-up kisses (Good morning, little one. Can you hear the sounds of our world?) and ultimately comes
full circle, ending back at home with good-night kisses and the hope for sweet dreams. End notes include the habitat for each creature mentioned and a short, interesting fact. There is so much of interest here that lucky listeners will want to experience it again and again before sleep. Pair with Mary Logue's Sleep Like a Tiger (2012) for another bedtime book connected to the animal world.—Booklist *STARRED* "December 15, 2015"