CAT SAYS MEOW

No other book of simple sentences about animal sounds also boasts eye-catching, often humorous graphics that show the letters of the sound forming the animal’s head or body.

For beginning readers, the cover invites a long perusal, a preparation for how to “read” the pictures inside. The unmistakable shape of a mouse, in solid slate gray, is composed of the letters—in varying types and sizes—that spell “squeak.” Appropriately, as with most of the book’s pictures, the letters are in sequence from left to right. (The “S”-shaped tail of the mouse is at the far left, eventually leading to the whiskers as the final “K” on the right.) Next to the mouse is a large ochre cat’s face, with the “M” for “Meow” as ears and under that, eyes and jowls formed by the final letters. Other sly pairings inside include a mosquito with a frog. There are also some gentle rhymes, as “caw caw” lines up next to “hee haw,” and a few surprises, such as “Squirrel goes chomp.” Each page turn reveals a new graphic in a bold color, with a pleasing variety of single- and double-page spreads, as well as subtle changes in composition.

This is one of those rare picture books with something for everyone to enjoy, beginning with colors, sounds and shapes for the youngest.