A Curious Menagerie: Of Herds, Flocks, Leaps, Gaggles, Scurries, and More!

What do you call a group of giraffes? A pile of penguins? In this jovial picture book, Berger walks readers through a selection of collective nouns. Each spread, narrated by a tall, mustachioed ringleader and a diminutive monkey, features a different gathering of animals performing their communal descriptor: “a parade of penguins” marches through the snow as a marching band, “a gaze of raccoons” looks out through telescopes at the night sky, and “a leap of leopards” gracefully clears a track hurdle. Berger’s digital collage illustrations playfully employ papers of different textures and patterns—a befitting medium for an eclectic assembly of beasts arranged in a seemingly random order. An informative final spread explains the origin of the collective noun, which dates back to “etiquette guides for young aristocrats” in medieval England. A diverting, albeit brief, frolic for young wordsmiths. Ages 4–8. (June)