PARTY ANIMALS

In this boldly colored counting book, the barnyard denizens busily prepare for a party—from two croaking purple frogs "tossing a salad for the party" to 12 black sheep ("baaing, 'Shhh!' and lighting candles for the party")—except for a single blue ant, the only creature apparently left off the invitation list. With anxious queries, the ant visits every group and tries to insert himself into the preparations, but no one seems to hear him: "Do you need help? Because I could help," he tells the yellow pigs, who are making mud pies for the festivities. "Who cut the cheese?" he quips to three pink mice who are, in fact, slicing a hunk of Swiss. Davis (Scared Stiff) works in simple, heavily outlined graphic shapes and saturated acrylics paints, giving her full-bleed spreads the visual impact of a poster. Many children will guess early on that the party is actually in the ant's honor, but they'll still enjoy the interplay of the almost fluorescent colors—tangerine ducks against a marine-blue sky, turquoise cows with bright purple snouts and hair—and the ant's snappy asides. Ages 2-5. (Sept.)