  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 11/01/2011 PreS—Though there's no shortage of books that delight in toddler love, this offering is destined to become a cherished favorite. Utterly charming paintings show a little boy being enticed away by a quartet of adorable animals, one after the other, each offering a scenario of how they'll spend their time together. The bird wants baby to come away to her nest and munch on worms, the cat to a boat on a milky sea, the puppy to play outside and to chew on a bone, and the fish to an enchanting undersea grotto. Full of rhyme, alliteration, and playful wording, the text lends itself to group reading or one-on-one sharing equally well: "With a toe tap, finger snap, circle on the sand./An octopus will take your hand./A dance for you/And a dance for me." The text has a songlike cadence that is a joy to read out loud, with the perfect amount of repeating refrains to tie sections together. Finally, day ends and baby returns to mama's wide-open arms. The message of safety and unconditional love is reinforced as the baby is tucked into bed with the four friends looking on.—Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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