The subtitle tells (nearly) all. Father cat, in full human dress, sends his young son off on the first day of school with a big backpack and a bit of advice: “Learn to greet the whole wide world.” The youngster does, in 12 two-page examples. Each begins with a poem that introduces the relevant phrase, which is then presented in 12 different languages: German, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Chinese, Zulu, Japanese, Italian, French and Portuguese. Phrases are accompanied by helpful pronunciation guides. The illustrations, which resemble children’s artwork, put the young hero into situations where he might use the chosen phrase: “please” in the cafeteria line, for example. A color-coded map shows 91 places where the languages are spoken. An inviting language introduction for young readers, following up the team’s Can You Count Ten Toes? Count to Ten in Ten Different Languages (1999). (Picture book. 5-9)
