CHEEP! CHEEP!

In this take on an elemental topic, the noises from a hatching egg, all alone in a frame on the left, wake three chicks napping on a roost on the facing page. After a bit of confusion, they hop down to welcome the new addition to the family. The frames change from nighttime stars to feathers to little hearts to match the action or mood, but the art is extremely simple while being exactly right. Digitally assembled from puffy terrycloth bodies, googly eyes and the odd feather or two, the chickies are cuteness in action in each scene as they wake up, figure out what’s happening and then snuggle up to their hatchling sibling—all to monosyllabic rhymed exclamations: “eep!” “leap!” “heap!” and finally “sleep? sleep / sleep / sleep / sleep.” Not exactly cheap, nor deep—but one to keep. (Picture book. 2-4)