WHERE'S THE PAIR?

In another in a series of picture books for the very young designed to exercise their powers of observation, Teckentrup challenges readers to spot which animals are exactly alike.

As in The Odd One Out (2014), a variety of animals is depicted, from the mundane dogs, cats, birds and fish through chameleons, yaks, dragonflies, zebras, otters and toucans. The colored pages resemble decorative wallpapers, on which rows of mostly cheery, collaged animals are arranged in repeating rows on the right page of each spread. An introductory verse containing the pairing challenge is (usually) on the left page. Although they are necessarily repetitive, the animals are amusing and full of character, with bright but controlled color and a variety of textures adding to the visual appeal. The final spread contains pairs of all the animals to which readers have been introduced, but only five of them match exactly. The warm color palette and handmade appearance of this traditional pairing book are a refreshing break from the harsh colors and mechanical appearance of similar offerings in this genre.

Children will enjoy sharing the sometimes quite difficult challenges with their adults. (Picture book. 2-5)