Mayo's (Brother Sun, Sister Moon) collection of pithy, mostly animal-themed verses makes an ideal showcase for 24 illustrators. Among the most memorable contributors: Susan Rollings offers up a cheery take on a soggy urban landscape for the rhyme "Splishy-Sploshy Wet Day"; Russell Ayto dreams up a very chaotic ark for "A Boat Full of Animals," afloat on a turbulent ocean of pen-and-ink cross-hatching and watercolor wash; and Emily Bolam creates clean cartoon panels to chronicle the attrition rate of some sassy fowl for "Five Little Ducks" (luckily, they all return to their mother). Although the titles may appear unfamiliar, most of the texts should ring a bell—a series of rhymes called "Old Mother Turtle and Her Friends," is actually "Over in the Meadow"; "Wiggle Waggle and Crocodile Snap" riffs on "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"; and Lauren Child's exuberant characters pull together the disparate themes of "Yankee Doodle Came to Town," "Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling" and three other rhymes for a spread called "Hoddley, Poddley, Nonsense, and Fun." Ages 6 mos.-4 yrs. (Feb.)
