McBratney presents another loving parent/child story in this endearing tale of a mother kangaroo’s playful attempts to cheer up her grumpy son, Little Roo, and her success in getting him to smile again. Simple but rich text skips across warm, bright, bold and beautiful full-page illustrations perfectly in time with the story, gearing this tale to an animated read-aloud session held on a lap or in a large group. Artful page design utilizes the idea of the kangaroo’s natural hopping by including two sections that have a vertical orientation that cleverly mimic the rollicking play and leaps of the mother and joey. This altered orientation provides a nice departure from the usual format and adds to the fun. Heartwarming and certain to tease smiles from even the grumpiest of little jumpers. (Picture book. 2-6)
