Fun concept. Unfortunately, library copies don't hold up too well, with all the folding and unfolding of the pages. ( )

If you are looking for a book for either a Toddler or younger Preschooler then do consider Simms Taback's new book. With bright and colorful artwork and clever fold-outs it is bound to please youngsters in a group setting, sitting on your lap, or reading alone.

Though the artwork is fun, the best part of the book is that kids get to guess what the animals are. There's a squirrel, dog, cat, horse, pigeon and mouse: all animals that they should be familiar with.

Here's how it works ==> Simms presents kids with a peek at a quarter of the entire picture along with two questions. For example, for the squirrel he first asks "Who am I?" to which he gives the clue: "I gather acorns." Undoing the first fold exposes another quarter of the cartoon-like image as well as the next clue: "I have a big furry tail."

These questions are great because they allow young children to engage their analytical skills and imaginations. The fold-outs even provide hand-eye coordination excise and a lesson in sequential ordering.

Talking Points :::
This colorful book will a real pleaser for it's target audience of Toddlers and younger Preschoolers. It presents a simple puzzle in two parts, and then rewards them with a giant picture of a cute critter.

The pages are fairly sturdy, but long term you might have to resort to tape. (This book WILL get lots of use!)

The only thing I could thing I could have wished for was more, more, more. Would make a good gift.

Pam T~
mom and reviewer at BooksForKids-reviews ( )

Finally, an animal book for city dwellers! Big, bright, double fold-out pages depicting colorful and comic illustrations of the city's most common critters - pigeons, dogs, cats, squirrels, horses, and mice. Great for storytime. ( )

The reader is invited to guess which animal is hiding beneath fold-outs that reveal a succession of clues. ( )