African Animals ABC

Spiked with tangy tribal patterns from Africa and animated rhymes, this animal ABC book feeds youngsters what they love: exuberant illustrations and a bouncy text that invites their participation (``Elephant lumbers/ Frog leaps/ Giraffe dozes/ Hippo sleeps''). Featuring 26 animals whose survival in the wild is to various degrees threatened, debut author/artist Browne leaves serious issues and informative details for the fine-print endnotes, and her light approach proves inviting. A mix of the familiar (the elephant) and the unexpected (the Xoona moth) will arrest kids' attention as they ``prowl'' and ``growl,'' ``mutter'' and ``flutter'' their way through the alphabet. Adults, meanwhile, can slip in information gleaned from the notes. As electric-colored creatures pounce or perch in a fantastically patterned jungle, the heat fairly radiates from these pulsating pages. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)