Who Is Driving?

Kids take the wheel in this paper-over-board title that invites them to love learning by making it fun. Belgian author/artist Timmers pens a straightforward story that asks preschoolers to guess which animal matches up with a particular vehicle. Eagle-eye readers will take notice of any number of clues tucked within the pages. A motley crew of animals in all shapes and sizes springs to life in a rainbow of acrylic paints as they scurry toward their respective vehicles. An elephant in a protective hard hat and telltale striped uniform (with a flame insignia on the sleeve) strides in a line-up with three other creatures toward the fire engine, but with a turn of the page, the pachyderm alone mans the truck ("wee oooh wee oooh wee ooh"); a pink-clad, tennis outfit-wearing giraffe belongs to an equally hot pink convertible, while the pitchfork-carrying pig is the rightful driver of the tractor. Youngsters will enjoy sounding out the noise each vehicle makes as their engines "start" and practically bound right out of the book. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)