Little Dogs Say Rough!

What are baby animals really saying with the sounds they make? According to Walton (Once There Was a Bull Frog), ""Little snakes say, ""Kissss! Kissss!/ Kisss us on the cheek like thissss!"" And cows are declaring ""Moo-oon! Moo-oon!/ We would like to go there soon!"" Cole's (Little Bo) double-page cartoons of the animal world brim with goofy charm: snakes sleep in trees with pillows and blankets, and cows float in space wearing planetary-themed sleeper pjs. But every time the book promises to take flight, the rhyming text drags it back down. While each vignette starts off with a roar of a comical conceit, it finishes with a whimper (""Moo-oon! Soon!/ Get them there by noon/ When the cows say, ""Moo-oon!""). By the final page, readers may be ready for the animals to have some quiet time. Ages 4-8. (June)